My World
by skeleton-leaf
Summary: She nodded, confused by his demeanour. Just a couple of years ago he'd been so confident, so cocky. She'd never seen him quiet before. But then, she hides things that have changed her too, hasn't she?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Well here it is, yet another bloody Trory from me, I really should think about finishing the ones I have on the go at the moment but this idea hit me a few hours ago and I wanted to get it down. At the moment I think it'll only be a shorty. I'm having serious writer's block with _Truth is nother yet, _if anybody who's read _For You I open my eyes, _please, please, please email me with suggestions of where _you _would like to see it go.**

**This story's seriously AU, and set during Senior year at Chilton, I imagine you'll pick most up from the story but just to fill you guys in, Tristan _was _sent away, but has been brought back to graduate from Chilton with some new _friends _in tow. And Rory...ah, Rory. Well she's not the girl he remembers and Tristan is most definitely _not _the boy she remembers.**

**Disclaimer: **_I d't own the Gilmore Girls, never have and by the looks of it, never will. I do, however, own The Icon and St. Jimmy. But I have poached the title and the chapter titles from the SR-71 song of the same title.  
_

**_...Love is all around you, your Universe is full..  
_**

A horn sounded in the driveway as Rory tapped her foot in time to the toaster whirring away.

"Rory! Your escort's here on his white steed!" Lorelai called from her vantage point at the window.

Rory rolled her eyes and caught the pop-tart as the toaster spat it out.

"Thanks Frankie," She whispered, patting the appliance and hurried through the living room where her mother stood in a barely there satin negligee. "Number one, mom, it's a Ducati, _not _a steed...and number 2, it's black".

"Pssh, details," Lorelai grumbled, waving through the window at Finn.

Rory kissed her mother's cheek and, cramming the pop-tart in her mouth, ran outside.

"Good morning love!" Finn called in a sing-song voice.

"Hello darling!" She called back in a sing-song voice.

Finn had been a new-comer late the year before and he and Rory had soon become firm friends. In time she'd even trained him to get up early enough to ride his bike to Stars Hollow to pick her up which pissed Dean off to no end.

"Love the hair," He whispered huskily as she took the proferred helmet.

"Thought you might," She replied, patting the newly red, shoulder-length curls. "I dyed it last night,"

He made a boyish growling noise in the back of his throat and she swatted him playfully as she climbed on behind him.

School had gone back a week and a half before. She hated Wednesday's, it reminded her of a cartoon Lorelai had pinned to the refrigerator years before. It had ben in two sections, one titled "teenagers" and the other titled "middle-age" and covered one week starting on a Monday. In the teenager section a cow started sprawledon the ground looking very much worse for wear and perking up as the week went along. The middle-age section was the exact opposite. But the cows were both half-way in the middle with the caption reading "At least we can all understand each other on Wednesday's". It was such a superfluous day, nothing interesting happened, all of her classes were mundane and at 9a.m. She still had not gotten hal-way throough the week. At least on Thursday she could say "two more days and it's over for another week".

"Nearly there love,"

Finn told her this every day he drove them to school through the radios in their helmets. It was pointless but one os those predictable things about him. She held on tighter as he made the turn through the school's gates.

Finn felt Rory wave to Paris, Madeline and Louise as Finn lifted her off the bike. She always shrieked a little when he did that, he still couldn't figure out if it was because it tickled her or not. It was just one of those pointless, predictable things about her he adored.

They made their way over to the threesome.

"Hello ladies," Rory said, approaching them with a swagger that made Louise laugh.

"Oh wow, I love your hair!" Madeline cried and Rory laughed.

"That would be a more convincing statement if _you _weren't the one who helped her dye it genius," Paris said acidically.

Rory rolled her eyes.

"Let us have our girly fun Paris,"

"Speaking of girly fun..." Louise began but Paris silenced her with a look.

Madeline noticed and diverted Rory's attention, grabbing her arm and jumpig up and down.

"What?" Rory asked laughingly.

"Major party on Friday night!" She gabbled, "I totally forgot...It's Blake Poirot's birthday at _Saffron_ on Friday," She exclaimed, "_You'd _remember Blake?"

Finn doubled over in laughter and Rory hit him in the arm.

"Yes Mads, I remember Blake," Rory assured her. Blake was a Chilton graduate, a friend of Mads' older brother she'd met at a party and gone on a few dates with at the beginning of Summer before he'd become a velcro boy so to speak.

"Well it's _v _exclusive, but I have _our _invitations right here!" Madeline dug around in her back pack an produced two photo frames madeout of red, embroidered satin with the invitation itself behind glass.

"He said he hadn't been able to contact you, so I should give it to you," Madeine said with a conspiratorial wink, the girls knew she'd changed her number twice to get away from his constant text messages.

"Plus one?" Louise ased, "Who should I take?"

"Paris," Rory answered quickly, knowing Blake would have been too frightened to invite the blonde. Louisde smiled brightly.

"What about it Paris? Will you be my date for Friday night?"

Paris rolled her eyes.

"And one of us can take Finn," Finn suggested. The girls laughed and linked arms with him to enter the school. The Icon was absent, but that didn't surprise them, he rarely made it these days, just enough to pass his classes. He, Finn and St. Jimmy had all arrived together at the end of her sophomore year and had taken a shine to the quiet Rory Gilmore of days gone by. In the beginning it had been the four of them and then, as days went by, Louise and Madeline as wel as – by duress and geographical convenience – Paris.

----------

Rory sat attentively as her second class of the day began, it was Creative Writing, the first time it had been offered at Chilton, and she had jumped at the chance. Ms. Orchard insistedon being called Sonia and unlike the rest of the prim teachers at Chilton, wore fisherman pants, motorcycle boots and over-sized men's shirts to class. Rory had liked her straight away.

"Okay class, last class we talked about Point's of View and how they affect your writing, has everyone brought their homework?"

Their homework had been to list their favourite books and movies and then the themes common to both. From those themes they were to discern a time in their own lives where such themese were present in their own lives and write the scene from the first, second and third person point of view. Rory looked down at her own homework. Under the headline "Common Themes", the first two she had listed was, predictably, guilt.

"Okay, we're going to try something new this week, instead of you handing forward your papers, we're going to get into groups and share them."

Rory looked up in horror, this week's assignment had been so _personal_. She closed her eyes and hoped against hope se'd get Louise as her partner, someone who would understand.

"Tristan and Rory," Ms. Orchard called out and Rory's head snapped up. _Tristan? Surely not._ She scanned the room and sure enough, there he was, in the second row from the front. She looked over at Louise who seemed just as surprised, how had they not known he was coming back? She stayed where she was sitting until he tuned, and, seeing she hadn't moved, sighed and gathered his things.

She smiled at him flirtatiously as he sat down in Louise's seat.

"Hey DuGrey, long time no see"

"Hi Rory, how have you been?"

_How had she been? What was this? _

"Um...good thanks...you?"

"Well, you know, military school"

She nodded, confused by his demeanour. Just a couple of years ago he'd been so confident, so cocky. She'd never seen him quiet before.

"But you're back...why?"

He looked up at her, wire-rimmed reading glasses were a new addition to him, they were cute. He shrugged,

"My father wants me to graduate from Chilton, carry on the family tradition,"

"Oh...I...I din't know you were coming back."

He shrugged again.

"Why would you?"

She was silent for a moment and he pressed on, "So this is my first day back and I didn't know about the assignment so you may as well just read me yours,"

Rory looked down at her page again and squirmed inwardly. It would be bad enough to read this to _anyone, _but to Tristan?

"Well?" He prompted, a ghost of a smirk betraying the boy she'd once known.

"Uh...yeah...so, for my favourite books I chose, oh never mind, I'll just read the piece,"

----------

_He stared up at me from where he lay on the mattress, his eyes bleary but still the beautiful, clear green I remember from the better days. His parched lips parted and I leaned closer, as though anything that passed those lips might hold the secret of what I'd been looking for. One slender finger rose, trembling into the air and his eyes followed it unsteadily._

"_Higher," He whispered brethlessly, as though it hurt to speak. "I want to go higher."_

_I rolled my eyes, I was sick of this fucking pantomime._

"_You are high!" I snapped and his eyes locked with mine for the first time since I'd found him there._

"_No," He said, a little louder, a little croakier this time. "I want to go higher..." He trailed off, his hand falling to land beside him and I stood abruptly to my feet._

"_I'm leaving." _

_That seemed to get through to him and he struggled to sit up._

"_No," It was a command, not a question as he reached for my hand but I drew it back quickly._

"_When you want to stop all of this...I still won't be here," I said icily, slamming the door behind me on the way out._

_---------- _

She finally looked up as she finished the passage. Tristan wasn't looking at her, he was looking at the desk. After a few moment he met her eyes.

"It's good," He said quietly.

"Good?"

"Well, aren't we supposed to critique each other's work?"

They were she supposed, but she'd expected something different, questions maybe? Yes, questions. Instead she got his silence.

"So you're back for good?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and he glanced up at her.

"Looks that way Rory," He said wryly and she smiled.

"You finally learnt my name,"

He began to stand up but turned at the last minute, leaning in to her and whispered:

"I always knew your name".

----------

**AN: So there it is, the first chapter darling ones. I hope you enjoyed it although I realise it may not be making much sense just yet. All the more reason for me to get updating huh? And a note on The Icon and St. Jimmy, they're new characters, that'll become apparent in time and I stole their names from an old friendhsip group I used to be a part of, we were really big on nicknames then. I'll never forget how excited we were when Green Day released their American Idiot album with the song "St. Jimmy". Well, let me know what you think by reviewing, you know how much I love those things. They tend to stroke the ego that goes through a daily battering at the newspaper.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: ** _Aww, thank you all so much for your reviews, that aws great this morning when I woke up and had to go off to horrible, sucky work. _

_Joise: I'm glad people wereable to pick that up, Tristan __has changed. It's a combination of having grown up a little and other outside factors. You'll see what I mean more in this chapter.  
_

_Kate: I love the friendship bween Rory and Finn too, it's so beautifully platonic. I'm bringing in another character here though that tends to change the dynamics between Rory and Finn._

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing and especially not _GG_

----------

**_Nobody wants to be alone, so how did I get here?_**

****

****

The Jock table turned to watch as Rory and Louise walked by them in the cafeterial, their hips swaying in time as they walked.

"Well it shocked the hell out of me," Louise was saying, "_I _had no idea he was coming, and _that _is saying something".

Rory smiled, that _was _saying something, Louise always knew what was going on.

"He's changed," Rory mused, pinching her lip as she slid into place beside Finn who was sleeping with his head on the table.

"How so?" Louise asked.

"I don't know...he's...quieter..." She trailed off, that was the way the _old _Rory talked. Onto happier topics. "So, Blake's party, is it gonna go off?".

By no stretch of the imagination did their little band rule the school, although, an outsider might have thought so. Sure, they were popular, but only due to their own notoriety. Everybody at Chilton knew their story, and everybody at Chilton backed away when they came face-to-face. They were invited to the best parties, hell if they weren't the ones throwing them they were at the top of the invite list. But there was something about them, something about the gang mentality they'd developed over time that left them cloistered. Although, after everything they'd been throuh together, that's how they liked it. Paris was the one exception to the rule. When Louise had taken her seat her school shirt had ridden up, displaying one of the tattoos the six shared, the Tara Crown Claddagh mark which symbolised the love andunity they'd pledged when they were younger, more careless, some of them reckless. Louise tugged her shirt down quickly, as though it burned for her promise to be seen so openly.

----------

Across the cafeteria Luna slumped next to Tristan and leaned her head on the table.

"Why T? Why did you bring me here?"

He ignored her, used to her predisposition to bitch and whinge, thank God she was cute.

"Hey!" She slapped him.

"Did I just say that out loud?" He asked, a smile in his eyes and she rolled her own.

"Thank God I'm cute?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and he laughed, slinging an arm around her.

"You know you'redoing the right thing Lu, after all, you're the one with herheart set on Harvard and I was able to give that to you on a silver platter".

Sh rolled her eyes again and flicked her long, blonde plait over her shoulder. When her hair was brushed out it, he imagined it would almost reach her hips, but he'd never seen it out.

"Whatever DuGrey...how's your first day going?"

He nodded slowly but didn't answer. "I think someone's trying to get your attention," Luna said quietly, leaning into him.

Tristan looked up to see old friends, all still gathered together. All, he imagined, still talking about the same things, bitchin about the same people. They waved at him and he furrowed his brow, he couldn't deal with them anymore, couldn't be their King. He didn't have the heart anymore. Luna squeezed his arm.

"Come on, let's go say hello," she suggested.

He shook his head silently. "Come on," She wheedled, "you have to spend the rest of the year with these people, and then some. I know how you feel but you can't crawl into a hole".

He shrugged, but stood up. As she did too he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her in for a hug, leaning his head on hers, knowing that every eye in the cafeteria was on them.

"Let's go...preare yourself,"

She laughed but she knew he was deadly serious as he led her to the table.

----------

Rory watched Tristan move slowly through the cafeteria, wondering who the girl was on his arm and only mildly surprised at the viscious pang of jealousy that stabbed at her. It wasn't so strange she realised later, that he had meant so much more to her once he'd left than when he'd been there. She smiled when she remembered the way they'd been so long ago, at least, it seemedso long ago. She couldn't really deny that she'd pined for him when he'd left. She'd had Dean, but that had only lasted another week or so. In class she'd found herself doodling his name on her page and writing down that stupid childish equation

Tristan Janlen DuGrey

LOVES

Lorelai Leigh Gilmore

52051  
7256  
9711  
1682  
71410  
8551  
13106  
4416  
857  
1312  
443

87

She was always girlishly thrilled with that percentage likelihood of them being together one day. She made up scenes in her mind where he came back and they ran into each other. She'd imagined that perhaps it would happen that summer, or one Christmas. It never did of course, but it didn't matter so much when the boys arrived. They'd kept her entertained. That didn't mean, of course, that she ever stopped looking out for him or listening for snippets of conversation. But her priorities had changed, _she _had changed. She wasn't _Mary_ any more, with her nose permanently in a book. Life had begun to happen. Sometimes she couldn't believe that the past two years really belonged to her, to Rory Gilmore. Those horribly bittersweet years that she wanted to bury and relive all at once.

----------

Tristan introduced Luna as a friend from North Carolina, well, that's what she was. And with her cute face and bubbly personality she was swallowed whole by his old friends. He sat between Hamish and Andy, two from that time he genuinely liked after a fashion.

"Did you see it this time?" Hasmish was asking Andy.

"See what?"

"Grant's tat when she sat down,"

"Damn," muttered Andy, "I missed it again?"

"Missed what?" Tristan asked, only half listening.

Andy turned to him.

"Louise Grant's tattoo, legend has it the whole group has the same one."

Tristan nodded coolly.

"The whole group? Legend has it? What is this "The Lord of the Ring's"?"

"Yeah...man you've missed alot. Chilton's got it's own little gang over there," He swept his arm to indicate Rory Gilmore's table. Tristan's eyebrows shot up.

"Gang?"

"Well, of sorts...it's regular folk lore around here man," Andy piped in. "Met Finn yet?"

Tristan shook his head.

"That's the guy sitting with them, he arrived here not long after you left with a couple of other guys and they formed their little group,"

"Nobody ever goes in an nobody ever comes out," Hamish joked in an ominous voice.

Tristan rolled his eyes.

"Oh fuck off, people used to say the same shit about us"

"Nah man, it's seriously _weird_, they're all like _obsessed _with each other, they have tattoos that symbolise some suicide pact or something," Andy insisted.

"Yeah and every full moon they dance naked in the woods, 'Welcome back to Chilton Tristan, same shit, different day'". Tristan scoffed.

----------

Rory walked to her locked to find The Icon leaning with his back against it and his eyes closed. A non-issue grey beanie covered his dirty blond curls. She swatted his arm playfully.

"Hey fucker, where have you been all day?"

When he opened his eyes she saw it was one of _those _days. She ran two fingers up and down his forearm, on anyone else it would have been patronising but the ghost of a smile on his lips assured her it was okay.

"So we're going out tonight?" She asked.

He nodd mutely and kissed her cheek, motioning he'd meet her after school.

From across the hall Luna, Tristan and Andy watched.

"That's one of the guys that came with Finn...he _never _talks, it's kind of creepy." Andy concluded.

"And he's kind of _hot_!" Luna exclaimed.

Tristan laughed at her and nudged her side..

"Down girl,"

She shrugged and poked out her tongue.

"Come on dork, we're late for class."

----------

Rory scribbled a note to Madeline in ther final class of the day. The Icon sat mutey in front of her, determindely doodling on the single piece of paper he'd 'borrowed' from her.

_The Icon says we're going out tonight, suit up and pass it on, meet in the car park after school._

Madeline read the note and raised her eyebrow at Rory who just nodded gravely and Madeline took out her Sidekick, typing quick texts to the others.

Finally the bell signalled the end of the day, and Rory threw only the absolutely necessary homework into her satchel, she wouldn't be doing much tonight. Finn had the locker next to her and met her there to walk out together. They passed Tristan on the way and Rory smiled at him. He seemed to stare straight through her before noticing. He looked at her strangely, as though he couldn't understand why she would be smiling at him before he uncertainly smiled back.

"Just a sec Finn,"

She walked over to Tristan. "DuGrey? What are you doing on Friday night?" She asked, finally, she had her chance. He lookedat her like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Uh...tucking myself into bed alone at 8pm?" He guessed.

"Wrong," Se said with a flirtatious smile, "There's a party, a big one, you're my plus one," She smiled again, flipped her hair and turned on her heel.

"Well...she was...forward," Luna observed, nodding in Roy's direction with her eyebrows knitted together.

"Yeah..." Tristan replied half-heartedly, still a little confused.

"An old _friend_?" Luna asked cheekily.

Tristan shook his head,

"No, not a friend".

Luna looked up at him, confused but his frown disappeared soon and he lifted his satchel. "Come on, let's get out of here".

----------

When Rory and Finn emerged from the school she was grinning and Finn was teasing her until they noticed The Icon standind by his bike smoking a cigarette.

"You ready for this?" She asked Finn.

"Always am sweetheart,"

Rory handed him her bag and ran to where The Icon stood, launching herself into his arms. He caught her, like always as the others arrived...the five of them now.

----------

_**AN: **So you've met The Icon, but who is he? What is his relationship to the 'gang'? Read and Review to let me know what you all think. Oh, and if anyone was wdering I dropped a little Aussie Pop Culture in there, Hamish and Andy are two local comedian's from my city whom I adore! So I just had to put them in here!_


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** _Okay, so a lot of people have asked me about the equation I used in the last chapter._

_It's an equation we used to use at high school to work out the "percentage likelihood" of you and the object of your affection being perfect for each other. Okay _

_Jill Smith_

_LOVES_

_Robert Gray_

_You count the number of L's in the two names, then the number of O's in both names, then the number of V's, E's and S's. In this example the answerr would be 2 L's, 1 O, 0 V's, 1 E and 1 S. You lay them out in a line and then add each number together like this:_

_2 1 0 1 1  
(2+1)(1+0)(0+1)(1+1)  
3 1 1 2  
(3+1)(1+1)(1+2)  
4 2 3  
(4+2)(2+3)  
6 5  
_

_You keep going until you come away with two digits, in this case, 65. It's just one of school-girl things but I still do it every time I meet a guy, my latest guy is 87!_

_So that's the first thing out of the way. _

_Finally, the italics in this chapter are flashbacks._

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own GG._

**..._I see him staring though you..._**

Lorelai looked up when Rory walked into the Inn, her eyes lit up when she saw the rest trailing behind.

"Hey guys! What are you all doing here?"

"Don't be ridiculous Lorelai my love, we came to see _you_ of course!" Finn exclaimed as he threw her arms around her.

Louise and Madeline laughed while Rory looked on, sober, standing in The Icon's firm embrace.

"Hey hon' what's up?" Lorelai asked her daughter once she'd disentangled herself from Finn who was now off in search of Sookie.

"Nothing much mom, I just came to ask if I could go out tonight?"

----------

Lorelai sighed as she watched her daughter leave on the back of Finn's bike. She had long since given up trying to predict Rory and her behaviour. It had frightened her, in the beginning, how like herself her daughter was. That was when it all began, the sneaking out, the midnight phone calls to come and get her, finding Renny in Rory's bed. That had perhaps been her least favourite occurrence of those times.No wait, no her least favourite occurrence had been the eery silence that had settled over her loungeroom all those months ago.

_Lorelai giggled to herself as she bounced up the driveway, she and Sookie had just arrived home from nearly a week away together and they had had a wonderful time. It had been niceto get away from everything. Especially the stress she never dreamed Rory would cause her. Lorelai wavedonce more to Sookie before letting herself into the house._

"_Ror?" She called, her voice echoing in the hollow house. She set her overnight bag down in the hall and started to the kitchen. "Have you got the coffee maker on for mommy?" Still no response. Lorelai flicked the coffee maker on herself. "Are you even home? Of course you're not, you're never home these days." Lorelai shook her head and started towards her bedroom but paused as she passed the livin room. Rory lay half-curled in th foetal position next to Angus. Finn was lying flat-backed on the floor with his arms behind his head and Louise and Madeline had taken up residence on the couch. It was the eeriest thing Lorelai had ever seen, the silence seeped out of the room, enveloping her as well. Their eyes were flazed as they stared blindly at the ceiling._

"_Guys...Rory?" Lorelai asked, panic breaking throuh her voice. "Wht's happened?" _

_Nobody answered her, not at first and Lorelai had run to her daughter, pulled her into the fiercest embrace they'd ever shared, rocking her slightly like she'd done when she was a baby._

"_Rory? Baby? What's wrong?"_

_Finally, finally after what felt like hours Rory's eyes had shifted to meet Lorelai's. Something snapped and Rory's big blue eyes filled with tears. _

"_Oh mom!" She sobbed before Angus had reached out for her, pulling her back down to him, away from Lorelai who let her go._

She shuddered just remembering it, that had been the turning point. She and Rory had been growing apart but that brought them back together, in a different way of course. She checked her watch, she'd never get out of that habit even though she knew her daughter wouldn't be home that night.

----------

Rory held Finn tightly as he sped through the streets of Hartford. They all knew where they were headed. They only ever really wound up at Madeline's house on night's like these. Her parent's were never home and they usually had the run of the place, it suited them perfectly. Finn followed the others to park behind the house. The Icon had a bike as well of course, with the girls in the car Louise's newest step-father had bought her for her last birthday.

They'd fashioned the huge room over Madeine's garage after their own style with furniture, a stereo all the regular things kids put in basements and garage's all over the world. The room was large and quite often, it was where they crashed after night's out together.

Madeline and Louise leaned on either side of Rory.

"We saw you talking to Tristan," Louise began with a sly grin.

"Yeah, whatever were you two discussing?" Madeline pressed,

"A certain _party _perhaps?" Louise finished and Rory laughed, holding up her hands in self-defense.

"Okay, okay, I asked him out to Blake's party"

"Asked him? You didn't ask him love!" Finn called from behind them on the stairs. "You bloody well _told _him."

"Well it pays _him _back for PJ Harvey," Rory muttered under her breath as she reached the landing.

She heard the guys on the stairs and then thudding footsteps until two strong arms lifted her into the air cavalier style. She shrieked as the girls laughed. The Icon threw her small form effortlessly over his shoulder as he spun in circles, finally collapsing on the couch with her a giggling mess on his lap. Rory struggled to sit up and pushed to bright red curls out of h face.

"Do you like my hair?" She asked him in a grave voice.

He reached out and tugged one vivid curl before breaking into a grin and smiling. Rory threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his hair.

"I've missed you while you haven't been at school, you have to start coming more often! What are we supposed to do without The Icon being there huh?" She admonished, pushing herself back and staring at him contemplatively.He rolled his eyes and she punched him.

"We'll always have you love! You're enough of an Icon for all of us!" Finn called from behind the bar he and The Icon had hand-crafted out of bricks and panes of glass. They all laughed.

Louise settled herself on a pile of cushions on the ground with her back to the couch as Rory slid off The Icon's lap and wandered over to Finn at the bar.

"So what's up today hon? Is everything okay?" She asked The Icon, starting to file her nails but glancing up at him surreptitiously, she worried about him, she worried about all of them...almost as much as Rory did. The Icon sighed and ran his fingers through his messy loose curls.

"Everything's sweet...but Finn and I have somewhere to be tonight and I wanted you guys here before that,"

"What's going on?" Louise pressed.

"Nothing serious...do you want to come?" He knew this would reassure her, she knew he would never put her in a position of danger, ergo if he said the girls could come then it was nothing she needed to worry about. She smiled up at him,

"We're in."

----------

Rory, Louise and Madeline linked their arms as they walked towards the club with the boys walking protectively on either side of them. Rory had finally changed out of her Chilton uniform and was now clad far more comfortably in a pair of grey cigarette-leg jeans tucked into her black, heeled boots with a bright blue, long tank top and a black jumper that came only to her midriff and fell off her right shoulder. She loved her jeans, she'd bought them just the weekend before and hadn't worn them yet. They were headed to _Loof_, an underground club in the CBD of Hartford that the gang had been visiting for sin it opened. They knew the owners well and were never hassled there. Once they passed through the doors the girls bounced straight to the bar. Scott was working, he always was. He was College student all three had managed to have slight flings with. He was adorable with his short dark blonde hair, big, steel-grey eyes and penchant for wearing brigt pink neck scarfs...well, that wasn't _as _cute, but it added to the overall.The only problem with Scott, Madeline said, was that he was "looking for someone to hold while he talked about the moon", and none of them were _that _girl. His face lit up when he saw the girls.

"Well, well, well if it isn't my three-woman army!"

They all giggled and Rory reached over the bar to chuck him under the chin.

"Hey sweetness, are you going to get us drinks or are we going to die of thirst?"

Louise caught Madeline's eye.

"_We've taught her well," _She mouthed and Madelined nodded, smiling.

Set up with a couple of rounds of drinks the girls commandeered a table. The nightly crowd was filtering in. They were a motley crew. There were the curious onlookers who'd seen the bar when they'd passed it and finally decided to come on in. There was the young crowd, probably College students, dressed all in black and terribly disillusioned as they discussed Chaucer and tried not to get distracted by terribly _childish _things like who was sleeping with who and what not. There were the young professionals, lawyers, bankers, journalists, all letting go of the day with the help of alcohol, dancing and various chemicals. And finally, there were the regulars, _their _people, the locals. Rory nodded and smiled at some people she knew.

This was one of _their _places. The type of place where even if you'd never been there before, your eyes would rest on the girls, watched over by the rest of their group, and you'd _know, _you'd know they belonged here, that they were special. That they werethe ones who got a free drink and wink from the bar tender, the ones who never got carded, the ones who – at the end of the night – had knock off drinks with the staff.

Rory's eyes flicked to The Icon and Finn, they stood at the corner of the bar, deep in conversation with one of the managers, Eddy. He wasnodding gravely before he pointed to the concealed stairwell. The boys started up the stairs and Scott made his way over to the girls.

"Private party ladies, you wanna get upstairs?" He asked with a wink and a smirk.

Rory shrugged,

"Are you gonna be there?"

Scott laughed and checked his watch.

"I'll take a five minute break and I knock in an hour,"

"Okay then," Madeline concluded, getting to her feet and leading the way.

The stairwell led up a flight of stairs to an elevator only a few knew about. It was the joke from the name of the bar, _Loof. _The elevator led to a roof-top garden and bar. Eddy was Chinese and joked that when he said "Roof" it came out as "Loof", so he named the underground club that. Weird sense of humour was Louise's summation on first hearing the story. The girls burst laughing from the elevator with Scott between them, his arms around the girls and a bright pink cowboy hat perched on his head. There was already a little group gathered and they saw The Icon and Finn on the opposite side of the garden.Rory watched them like a hawk, she still wasn't entirely sure why they were here tonight, it was always a mission of some sort but tonight she didn't know and she didn't like not knowing. Louise and Madeline were pawing a deliriously happy Scott on a chaise lounge so she wandered over near the boys and stood behind them.

"So what are you doing guys? Dealing? Buying? Pimping?" She asked quietly, a hint of humour though her voice was serious. The Icon turned around with a smile,

"International Arms Trade babe, you want in?"

She rolled her eyes and made her way back to the seats with the girls.

The night passed quickly and by the time they left The Icon wasin bad form, they were used to it of course as he stormed ahead to the cab, his fists balled into the pockets of his long trench-coat, muttering vilely under his breath. Rory caught the ocassional curse or questioning lilt, she knew what he was thinking about, it was what they could all never stop thinking about.

----------

Back at Madeline's he poured shots, lots of shots, of a thick green licqour and set them down on the coffee table they were all sprawled around. He sat dwn on the floor, his knees bent to his chest and they mas he'd worn that night slipping for the first time. Rory looked into his sad, green eyes and felta stab in her chest. He looked up at them all waiting for what they knew was coming. He slowly raised his first shot glass.

"Lets promise," He began, his voice wavering and cracking slightly, the voice that only _they _heard. "We'll always be together, even when we're not,"

"Unity," Louise muttered as she downed hers.

"Solidarity," whispered Madeline.

"Loyalty," said Finn and he threw back the shot.

"And Love," Rory finished, taking the shot and feeling the mark on her arm burn.

It was their promise, the promise they'd made each other when they were whole and that they continued to make now because in some ways it was all they had.

----------

**AN:**_ There you go, another chapter. Sorry, no Tristan in this one, it was more of a filler to learn more about the group dynamics that are going to be important in the story. One thing I want to make clear as that although the boys -Finn an The Icon - love the girls, they actually let them live their own lives. I know it's popular to have Rory's male friends being way overprotective, and in some ways Finn is, but I'm making them a little more like the guys I'm friends with. R&R!  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:**_I'm so glad everyone's enjoying the story, I'm having alot of fun writing it. Ooh, I'm all excited at the moment cause I got my wrist pierced yesterday and I've wanted it forever plus I got a new job as door-bitch at a club in the city. I was so excited that rushed out and bought a new pair of skinny jeans and a pair of black boots!_

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own GG - duh! _

_----------_

**..._Does he make you high? Make you real?..._**

Rory was cheerfully making coffee the next morning when the others woke up. She smiled, listening to the murmurings and finished pouring the last cup on the tray. As she walked back into the main room where everone had crashed on the couches she heard Finn loudly announcing his intended absence from school that morning.

"Uh uh, I don't think so Mr. Morgan,"

"But I only have study hall love!" He whined, throwing his arm theatrically across his eyes and crashing back to the couch. Rory set the tray down and the other thankfully reached for their coffee, Rory had trained them well. She took a sip from her own, lookin as though she was considering Finn's argument.

"Yes my dear, but _study hall_ takes place _at _Chilton,"

"Oh who needs it anyway?" He grumbled, sounding like an recalcitrant little old lady.

"You do," Rory finished for him, "if you're going to be coming to Yale with us,"

He sighed, knowing the argument, for what it was, was over.

"And you too mister," She said quietly to The Icon who just nodded blearily, knowing he was beaten by the tiny Gilmore girl.

----------

The five arrived at school together, the girls not trusting the boys on their bikes. Standing near enough to the front of the school to be seen, ut not near enough for The Icon to be caught smoking, they talked about the party the next night. They were all going, they had to go, keep up appearances. The kids arriving smiled cautisouly at them, or waved, some of the braver ones even called out a 'hello'. Rory scanned the car park for a sign of Tristan, seeing him finally, as he climbed from a car she'd never seen beforewith the girl from the day before. _Find out Gilmore, _she thought to herself, _have to know who this girl is! _It wasn't like it really mattered. For starters, she'd already pursued attached guys. And secondly, it wasn't as though she _liked _Tristan DuGrey, not anymore, he was just a pretty face and a nice idea. Still, it was a very pretty face.

----------

Tristan saw Rory standing with her little band by the school building. She had definitely changed, physically as well as emotionally. There didn't see to be any softness to her anymore. Back in those days when he'd been infatuated with her, he'd felt as though he'd known every curve of her body. Now she seemed harder, more angular. She still had the same pretty face but her features weren't as soft, as inocent as they'd once been, and the bright red curls didn't help either.

"What are you looking at?" Luna asked, her eyes following his gaze until they settled on the red-head from the day before. "..oh, the girl who told you you're going out with her. _Are _you going?" She askedwith a smile as she looped her arm through his. He shrugged,

"I guess so, I've got my own invite though...want to be my plus one?"

Luna didn't respond, she just smiled. As they walked past the group and into the school Tristan looked up at Rory once more and met her fiery blue gaze, it stabbed at him...what had happened to her?

----------

Rory smiled to herself as she and Louise entered study hall with The Icon and Finn. There, sitting all alone at a big table, was the girl with Tristan.

"Come on guys, I have a mission for us," Rory sad with a giggle as she strode to the table. "Hi,"

Luna looked up when she heard someone say hello and came face-to-face with the red-head.

"Hello?"

"Mind if we sit here?" Rory asked.

Luna shook her head.

"No, of course not." She replied as the four took their seats.

Rory leaned across the table.

"My name's Rory, Rory Gilmore. And this is Madeline Lynn, Finn Morgan and The Icon..."

Luna watched as Rory indicated everyone. The boy named Finn let his head fall onto the books he'd been carrying and The Icon leaned back in his chair, his arms behind his head and eyes closed.

"The Icon?" Luna asked in a quiet voice.

Rory nodded.

"That's his nickname," Rory explained although she thought it was pretty obvious.

"I'm Luna, it's nice to meet you,"

"It's nice to meet you to," Rory replied sweetly.

Luna wanted to scowl, she knew what this girl was doing, trying to buter her up to get to Tristan, find out what was going on between them.

"What brings you to Chilton?" Rory asked as she opened her books, keeping her eyes focused firmly on the table-top. Luna laughed.

"Oh it's a long story but my _very _close friend was a student here and he returned...oh wait, I think you know him...Tristan DuGrey?"

Rory laughed, this girl was onto her.

"Bible Boy? Yes, I know him,"

Luna raised her eyebrow.

"Really? It seems a lot of girls aroud here know him,"

"Well," Said Rory, conspiratorially, "he certainly got around," She winked at Luna who struggled not to glare at her. "So," asked Rory, leaning across the table, "what _is _your relationship to Tristan?"

Luna had had enough. She slammed her book shut and stood to her feet. Slowly and quietly she addressed Rory:

"Look, I know I'm not from around here, I'm not one of you little _society _girls but I'm also not stupid," She said.

The Icon had opened his eyes by now and was watching with subdued amusement. Rory's eyes widened in horror.

"I know what you're trying to do _Rory_, but manipulation doesn't work on me. An as for Tristan, mind your own damn business!" Luna snatched up her books and trode away from the table. The other kids in the hall looked on, some in interest, a lot in horror that _Rory Gilmore _be spoken to like that, and by the new girl no less.

"Oh, and Rory?" Luna called out. Against her better judgement Rory turned t face her, "...you might want to find yourself another dae for the party tomorrow, Tristan and I are going _together_".

Rory sat back in her seat, shocked. Louise and Madeline's eyes were wide as saucers. Rory didn't know what to think, was she really manipulative? Did Luna really think she was just ather rich bitch? She knew her cheeks were flushed and everone was looking at her. Suddenly, with no warning, she threw back her head and laughed.

"Touche" She called out to Luna, "Thanks for the heads up,"

Luna scowled and stormed out of the hall while Louise and Madeline laughed with her and the rest of the kids in study hall seemed to release a collectively held breath.

Rory was perturbed for the rest of the day though. Not just about Tristan and Luna, but by the looks on th faces of the other kids in study hall, as thought they were _frightened_ of her, of them. Were they really so insular that people avoided them? Had the stories gotten so bad they gave people a reason to fear her and the friends she loved so much? She'd heard the rumours of course, but, in her little group, tuckedaway with each other, the outside world had never seemed to matter. Sure, the girls had dated boys outside and vice versa, but it had always just been them.

"Come on," Louise urged, "who give's a shit what little miss 'I won't be manipulated' thinks".

Before everything, Rory would never have picked Louise for he intuitive type. She probably should have guessed, a gil with nose for gossip that good is bound to have some amount of ESP. It was always Louise who picked up on the subtle emotional changes of the group no matter what masks they wore at the time. And she knew something had been off about Rory all day.

Louise wrapped her arm around her friend.

"Fuck them if they can't take a joke," Rory sad quietly with a smile and Louise laughed softly. It was one of St. Jimmy's regular sayings.

"That's the spirit, and anyway, I'm sure you can make Tristan insanely jealous using Blake"

Rory smiled and hugged Louise.

"So I have the scoop," Madeline said breathlessly, as she raced upto the girls in the car park.

"About what?" Louise asked dumbly, Madeline rolled her eyes.

"Tristan and the biatch. Apparently..."

Rory held up her hand to silnce her friend.

"No offence Mads but I really don't care,"

"Oh no, you _want _to hear this," Madeline promised her, a superior grin spreading across her face.

"Fine, whatever"

"She is not the 'old friend' he's claiming...she's his child bride!"

Louise bust into giggles.

"Oh Madeline, what the hell are you talking about?"

Madeline's eyes were wide as she shook her head protesting it was true.

"No really, he knocked her up in North Carolina, her parent's organised a shot-gun wedding and she's due in September,"

Rory was shaking her head slowly with a smile.

"You expect us to believe that not only are Luna and Tristan married, but that she is three months pregnant?"

Madeline rolled her eyes.

"My sources are _very_ reliable"

"Whatever," Rory and Louise chorused as Finn and The Icon loped over to them.

----------

"I can't believe you went up against Rory Gilmore today," one of the girls that trailed after Tristan said to Luna as they all left the school. Tristan had only been half-listening but he tuned in when he heard that. Luna shrugged,

"Why not?"

"Because you just don't mess with those kids,"

"Oh come off it Summer," Tristan said laughingly. "Since when was _anybody _afraid of Rory Gilmore? She's a kitten."

Summer rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.

"You've been gone for a long time Tristan, things change"

"People like Rory Gilmore don't change," He insisted, "She's so innocent, so naive,"

"Uh...was innocent DuGrey," Hamish called overhearing their conversation. "And both Andy and I can attest to that," He went on with wink. Tristan fought the urge to vomit at the thought of what his friends were implying.

"Are you trying to tell me," He began, "that Mary has become a Magdalene?"

"You'd better believe it," Summer said, laying her hand on his arm, "...sorry to be the bearer of bad news."

Tristan shrugged, loosening his tie as they reached their cars.

"Why should I care?"

Summer and Hamish laughed.

"Oh come on man," Hamish implored, still laughing, "Everyone knows you had a hard-on for her before you left".

Tristan scowled and Luna looked with interest, so there _was _a backstory there?

"Yeah, well, things change Hamish and I certainly haven't spent the past two years pining for Rory Gilmore and can somebody please tell who the hell is spreading the rumour that Luna's pregnant?"

Summer looked away guiltily but decided to let the matter drop.

----------

**AN:** _So there you go, a little more about Tristan and Luna. What did you guys think of the confrontation between the girls? And Hamish's revelations about Rory? Keep reading and reviewing!_


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:**_This is awesome, I'm so pleased with all my reviews! Sorry I haven't updated for a little while, I went home to the country for my friend's 21st. It was hilarious, I swear, you can't make that stuff up. One of the boys, a slab of beer down and completely wasted grabbed his car keys, got into his ute and backed it in a wobbly line closer to the bonfire where we were all sitting. When we all looked at him questioningly he shrugged, said "I needed a seat," and sat down on the tray with a fresh beer.  
_

_**Treenuh:** You're getting it! You really are, I was hoping people would pick up on Rory being oblivious to the changes people see in her!_

_**Strawberrigashes:** Thank you for your review, I'd love to know what you think is going on with the group!_

_**Joise:** Ha ha, I'm glad I've got you hooked!_

_**Bowlfull-Of-Wisdom77:** I loved "Real Stories", did you see them explaining the street accountant scene on Rove Live? The guy Andy pash was actually gay and had to call his partner to check if it was okay to do it! He he. Oh and the entire street accountant skit was filmed outside my house! How awesome is that? Mum called me and said "isn't that your garage door?" I loved the skit where Hamish had "Slowmotia"._

_**harvard-bound-hopefully2010:** The Icon is a new character I've introduced, you'll learn more about he ad Rory's relationship in the next two chapters._

_And a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed, it's been really cool and I'm really beginning to enjoy writing this story now._

_--- _

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own GG, we'll all just hae to learn to deal with it. Similarly, I don't own SR-71 or their delightful song "My World"._

---

**_...Now I wrap myself around you like a blanket full of doubt...  
_**

Rory stared at herself critically in the mirror. She was ready, at least, she _thought _she was ready. She was clad in a pair of skin-tight black skinny jeans, with a new top she and Louise had chosen earlier in the week. It was corsolette style, with a sheer, black back but the front was cream and black lace. She ran her fingers through her hair which she'd fluffed up so it curled in soft halos around her head and leaned further into the mirror to inspect her black eyeliner.

"Perfect," Came the voice from the doorway.

Rory turned and smiled at Lorelai, doing a half-turn and spreading her arms in a pose. Lorelai mimed taking a picture and moved to sit down on Rory's bed.

"Jeez kiddo, gone are the days of me having to prise you off the couch to go out huh?"

Rory shrugged good naturedly.

"Welcome to your teenager having a social life mom," She said with a giggle.

Lorelai fell silent and contemplated her daughter. She'd never expected to see the girl who went to Chilton parties in knee-length skirts and sensible shoes, clad in a barely there corset and skinny jeans. It wasn't the clothes that bothered her though, in fact, she couldn't quite pin point what it was that bothered her. She _liked _Rory's friends which was more than any parent of a teenager could hope for, she was confident Rory wasn't taking in anything more harmful than a beer every so often. Rory hadn't been in any more trouble than any other kid and her grades had remained stellar through everything. But there was something that did trouble Lorelai, and it wasn't even the tattoo she'd been horrified at first to discover on her daughter's shoulder.

_---------- _

_Rory pushed the sleeves of her jumper up a little. Lorelai raised her eyebrow, she herself had stripped off to a pair of shorts and a tank top in the summer heat._

"_I know Nicole Kidman jogs in jumpers to lose weight, but you're not hankering to become ajockey are you?" She asked her daughter._

"_What?" Rory asked, not taking her eyes off the television._

"_It's the middle of summer Ror, and you're wearing a sweatshirt...what gives?"_

_Rory sighed._

"_I have something to tell you mom,"_

_Six words a parent never wants to here. Lorelai's entire demeanour changed. She'd been leaning back on the couch, a pint of chunky monkey on her lap but now she set the ice cream on the table and leant forward, her face serious._

"_Spill,"_

_Rory sighed again and slowly unzipped her sweatshirt, taking it off to reveal a patch of white gauze on her shoulder-blade._

"_Oh Rory," Lorelai whispered._

"_It's okay mom," She said quietly as she peeled off the gauze, revealing a perfectly formed Tara's Crown in thick, black ink. "It stands for loyalty, friendship and love," She said quietly, her voice heavy with the tears threatening to spill. Lorelai felt her own coming on. "That's not the only one," Rory whispered as she rolled up the leg of her shorts to display the tri-quetra on the inside of her thigh. "That one means unending love, and this one..." _

_Lorelai wanted to ask how many Rory was hiding but she couldn't seem to make her voice work._

"_This one is the wheel of balance, we got this one because it's a five-fold pattern, just like us now"._

_When Lorelai looked up from Rory's hip she saw the silent tears streaking down her daughter's face._

"_We?" Lorelai asked quietly, Rory could hear the beginning of understanding in her mother's voice._

"_We all got it, afterwards..." She trailed off and let the l of her shorts fall back down._

"_Why didn't you tell me?" Lorelai couldn't bear it if she thought her daughter was hiding things because she was frightened of her._

"_I...we...it was something the _we_ did, together. They're ours and...I don't know, they were just ours". _

_Lorelai reached out her arms and Rory fell into them like the little girl she still was in some ways._

_---------- _

"It healed well," Lorelai said, staring at the intricate pattern on Rory's shoulder.

"Huh?"

"The tattoo,"

"Oh...yeah, they all did,"

"Do you need a ride tonight?"

Rory smiled.

"That'd be great."

Lorelai dropped Rory off out the t of th club.

"Are the other's already here?" She asked, slightly concerned. Rory shrugged.

"I suppose so, they left for here a while ago, if not they won't be far away, don't worry, I'm well looked after here." She leaned over and kissed Lorelai good-bye, sliding out of the passenger seat and sauntering towards the club. There was already quite a line-up but se made her way straight to the front.

"Hey Mikey," She greeted the bouncer.

"Ror! You here for Blake's?"

Rory nodded and Mikey, a huge bald guy with a face like a truck had run over it but a heart of gold, unclipped the barrier for her while the people in the line groaned. She grinned and patted his shoulder,

"Thanks you doll."

Tristan raised his eyebrow as he watched Rory get ushered into the club, since when had she commanded that kind of service? And where the hell had that tattoo come from?

The club was up a wide flight of stairs nd Rory ran her fingers along the walls which were covered in thick, dark blue carpet. She made it to the top and pushed open the swinging door which led into the club. She quickly scanned the dancefloor and th two levels above, accessible by the suspended staircase. She couldn't see them, but she did spy the birthday boy and Madeline's brother Tim standing at the bar. She stalked over to them and wrapped her arms arnd Blae's torso from behind. He jumped a little and grabbed her hands, turning in her loose embrace. His dark brown eyes that she'd once likened to melted chocolate lit up when they saw her. He lifted her up in a hug.

"Rory Gilmore! You came!" He exclaimed, setting her down.

She ruffled his messy black hair.

"Of course I did, hell we all even pitched in and got you a present, The Icon's bringing it"

"Oh...he's coming is he?" Blake asked, disappointment evident in his voice.

Rory cocked her head on the side and looked at him disappointedly.

"Come on Blake, we've been through this, and anyway, you can't put 'Plus One' on an invite for us girls andexpect us not to bring him, Finn and Paris,"

"Paris is alright," Blake muttered.

Rory chose to ignore him and turned to greet Tim instead.

The boys had Rory set up with a drink in record time and Louise had sent her a text message, promising to be there as soon as possible. Rory stood on the second tier of the club, and was tere, leaning on the bannister when Tristan walked in with Luna. He looked good, effortlessly good like he always did in a pair of black slacks and a red-wine coloured shirt left untucked. She watched him greet Blake, she'd forgotted that they had known each other at Chilton despite Blake being older. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to greet some kids she knew distantly through The Icon.

----------

Luna looked around her in wonder. She had doubted that they would even get in. Sure, Tristan could pass for 21, but no matter how skilled she was with make-up or what she wore, she always looked about 15. Still, it hadn't been a problem, they'd not been queried, just let straight inside. She moved closer to Tristan and he slung his ar around her shoulder.

"Luna, this is Blake, he's the birthday boy," Tristan explained.

Luna smiled at the cute, dark-haired guy.

"Happy Birthday, I'm Luna."

Blake smirked at her,

"You brought me back a souvenir from North Carolina?" Blake asked Tristan with a laugh.

Tristan glared at him.

"Down boy, she's with me."

Blake raised his arms in self-defense,

"Hey man, that's cool. I've got my eye on someone anyway."

"If you're talking about Rory Gilmore," Tim began, "I've told you before man, she was over you before you guys even got started."

Blake pouted then shook his head.

"Nah man, she wants me"

"You were with Rory Gilmore?" Tristan asked in surprise.

"Best four weeks of my life," Blake replied, a dreamy look swimming across his face.

"Don't let him fool you DuGrey," Tim added conspiratorially, "She dumped him after six dates"

"_Seven _dates Tim,"

"Whatever man."

----------

The others finally made their grand entrance. Louise and Madeline scanned the crowd until they saw Rory, each of them dashing up the stairs to get to her, with Paris following sedately behind.

"You came," Rory observed.

"I tried telling them I had polio," Paris said dryly.

"But we remembered she'd already used that excuse," Madeline said so proudly that Rory didn't have the heart to tell her that Polio hadn't been a problem for decades now. Paris rolled her eyes.

"Oh have a drink Paris," Louise admonished.

The party was a drag, it was the last place Rory wanted to be, but one must keep up appearances. She as just looking forward to getting back to Madeline's with just the group. They'd found a couch and were all talking amongst themselves, oblivious to the stares and whispers all around them. Finally Louise insisted it was time to dance. She grabbed Madeline and Rory's hands, knowing too well that Paris wouldn't come, and led them downstairs to the dancefloor.

"Just a minute," Rory said, pulling her arm free and making her way to where Tristan stood with some kids she recognised as old Chilton. She said his name quietly to get his attention,

"Dance with me?" She asked, looking up at him, her limpid eyes wide and imploring.

Tristan stared down at her silently.

"Come on," She wheedled, "for old times sake."

He nodded slowly then smiled, taking her hand and leading her onto the floor.

She tangled her arms arnd his neck.

"You look good tonight," She said, leaning into him so he could hear.

He laughed.

"You look...different,"

She stared up at him, trying to figure out what he meant.

"Good different,"He classified and she smiled gently.

"Is it good to be back?"

He shrugged in her loose embrace.

"It's different...just different. I kind of got used to military school,"

"You've changed," She whispered in his ear and he shivered, barey believing that this creature was the girl who haunted his fantasies a couple of years before.

"You're one to talk,"

She threw back her had and laughed, showing off her long, delicate throat.

"Touche"

The song finally came to an end and Rory took Tristan's hand.

"Come and have a drink with us?" She asked, scanning the room, "we'll rescue Luna on the way."

The petite blonde who'd told her off the day before had been cornered by Blake near the bar. Tristan laughed,

"Sounds good,"

They plucked Luna out of there and made their way back to where the group was.

"Well you know the girls, but these two gentlemen are Finn Morgan, and The Icon,"

Tristan nodded, shaking hands with the guys. "This is Tristan DuGrey, he used to go to Chilton," Rory explained to the boys as she settled herself on the couch with her vodka. Paris immediately started tryin to convince Luna to join The Franklin and Rory turned to Tristan,

"So what was it like? You know, military school?"

Tristan shrugged,

"It's hard to describe, very regimented, but not as strict as you'd think, we had our fun. What about you? What did I miss?"

Rory shrugged and leaned back on the couch.

"Has nobody filled you in?"

Tristan contemplated herin silence.

"Oh come on, _somebody _would have told you something. I've heard every rumour there is, 'nobody ever goes in and nobody ever comes out'? You have no idea how thrilled I was to earn my own 'Willy Wonka' reference" She took a sip of her drink, "Long story short, Finn and The Icon arrived and we became firm friends. I suppose they taught me to loosen up a little,"

"A little?"

She laughed,

"Okay, okay, alot."

Tristan smirked, the smirk she remembered from that time. It all seemed to easy now, those days, before Finn, before The Icon and St. Jimmy. Of course then, she'd thought her christening as "Mary" was the worst thing that had ever happened to her, but it was all just amusing looking back now. Although she still flushed when she thought about their kiss.

"What?" Tristan asked, she looked up at him, a question in her eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair, "you were a million miles away, what were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about our kiss," She answered honestly and he looked surprised.

"Really?"

She nodded, pinching her lip.

"I still can't believe that I burst into tears,"

"Yeah that was a tough one for me as well," He said with an uncomfortable laugh.

"It's embarrassing really," She added.

"It was cute," He said, the words escaping before he could think and she grinned. Taking a deep breath she leaned closer to him and placed her left hand firmly on his thigh. He flinched and moved away quickly.

He looked up at her, her wide eyes full of confusion.

"What's up with you?" She asked.

"It's just...I..."

"What?" She demanded, her voice firmer now.

He shrugged.

"A couple of years ago you would've been _thrilled _to have me throw myself at you." She snatched her hand back from where it had fallen on the seat.

"I got over it," He said with a calous shrug, as though it were the most rational thing in the world. Perhaps it was.

"You got over it?" She asked, trying to keep the hysterical twinge out of her voice. He shrugged.

"What do you want me to say Rory? I had a crush on you, I don't anymore."

Rory nodded, picked up her drink, downed it and stood up.

"Fine," She said quietly but firmly, storming to the bar where she'd spied Blake.

----------

Rory was quiet on the ride back to Madeline's place. They'd put Paris in a separate cab back to her place, the room above the garage was _their _place. She stared out of the cab window, mulling over what had happened between her and Tristan. She wasn't sure when it was that she'd realised how much he'd liked her, maybe she'd been wrong about it. She squeazed her eyes shut, remembering the look in his eyes the night he'd been dragged from Chilton. Surely she wasn't imagining that? But how do you just getover something like that?

The cab came to a stop and they made their way wearily upstairs where Finn and Madeline promptly passed out. Louise laid down on one of the couches and Rory pulled off her shoes. Louise was rambling under her breath, apologising for something.Rory ran her fingers through her friends soft, blonde hair.

"It's okay honey, go to sleep,"

"Here," The Icon said, handing Rory a blanket which she spread over Louise.

"You want a drink?"

Rory nodded thankfully and The Icon poured them each and vodka. He sat on the couch, switching on the television quietly and patting the space next to him. She sat down, folding her legs beneath her and leaning into him. She took a sip of her drink,

"How are things going at home?" Rory asked suddenly, not taking her eyes from the television.

He had been expecting the question, they reserved their chats for times like these.

"Better than last time we talked," He replied honestly, he never hid anything from her, not about this.

"Your mom?"

He inhaled deeply.

"She's the same,"

"The pills?"

"Yeah...her doctor's put her on something else now but she just goes between all of the doctor's she's been seeing."

"What about your dad?"

The Icon shrugged and took a nonchalant sip of his drink.

"He's not around much...and when he is I'm not so it works well."

Rory was used to her friends not getting along with their parents. That's why they all loved Lorelai so much, but the shame about The Icon, was that his relationship with his parent's had once been every bit as close as her relationship with her mother. Once upon a happier time, a more innocent time, Rory had believed that time and circumstance didn't have the power to change something real, something beautiful. Now she knew better. She snuggled closer to The Icon and he put his arm around her.

"I'd ask if you miss him but..." She trailed off and he laughed.

"Everyday,"

"Yeah," She agreed softly.

---

**AN:**_ So there you go, a little bit more information about the group revealed, and about Tristan's behaviour. Stay tuned for the next chappie, hoefully tomorrow evening sometime. Don't forget to R&R.  
_


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **_Well guys, here it is, another chapter. I'm sorry it took a while to update, I've been swamped with essaye for uni and this chapter is more of a filler but seeing as though it's the weekend now, I should have the next up ASAP, I already know what I'm writing and I'm realy excited about it._

_**russian squirrel: **Don't worry, this is definitely a Trory._

_ Oh and to anybody questioning St. Jimmy, he will be explained more in the next chapter!_

_----- _

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own GG_

_----- _

_**...Is he all the things you tried to change me into?...**  
_

Wednesday rolled around again, one week since Tristan had suddenly arrived back at Chilton. Rory had managed to avoid him like the plague in the days before, it was easy when you were perpetually surrounded like she was by her group although The Icon hadn't been in for two days. Still, her second class of the day was Creative Writing and she knew he'd be there. She could bounce of course, but she'd been doing that a lot lately.

Resignedly she made her way into class and took her seat. Ms. Orchard was scrawling instructions on the white board. Once everyone was there she turned to the class, a mischievous smiled playin on her face.

"Well guys, I think we've done enough of short story wrting,"

Some kids nodded enthusiastically. "...so I want to try something new, in pairs I want you guys to try and write five minute skits which will be given to the theatre club to produce for parents night,"

Rory straightened up, this sounded interesting.

"You may choose your own partner," Sonia continued, "but please, let's make this quick." She clapped her hands and sent them to work. Rory turned to see who else was in the class, but as she did Tristan sat down next to her. She stared at him,

"What?"

He shrugged.

"I thought we could work together," He said.

"Well you thought wrong," She replied icily.

"Oh come on Rory, I've even got a good idea,"

Rory scanned the rest of the room, searching for someone who could save her but evyone else was already paired off.

"Fine," She replied, never meeting his eyes.

Rory took mo time tha was necessary gathering her pencils and books. Sonia Orchard had told them they could work anywhere they liked for the rest of the class as long as they were actually working.

"For Christ's sake Rory, the second coming of Christ moves faster than you do,"

She glared at him and slung her satchel overher shoulder, letting him lead the way.

They finally arrived at an upstairs alcove with a small sofa. He set down his bag and sprawled on the cch as Rory busied herself with a notebook and pen.

"So what's your idea?" She asked, her tone business like.

He was leaning with his head on the back of the couch, his eyes closed. When she spoke he slowly leant her head to face her and opened his eyes. She almost smiled when she met his sparkling blue eyes, but caught herself in time.

"Your story," He said, as though it were obvious.

"Excuse me?" Rory asked, perplexedly.

"Your story, the one you read to me last week in class, it's a good story."

Rory was horrified, she'd assumed he would have forgotten her ever reading that.

"No, we can't do that," She stammered.

"Why not?"

"It's...we just can't. I don't want to do that."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and leant forward in his seat.

"Think about it, expanded, it could be great. And the setting's easy to use for a play."

"No," Rory said firmly.

"Fine, what do _you _want to do?"

"I don't care," She snapped, crossg her arms across her chest.

"So you can read the story out in class but it can't be performed?" He asked with a laugh.

Rory jumped to her feet, grabbing up her things.

"I said no Tristan, you can't use that story!" She cried hysterically.

Tristan watched her run down the hall. _Huh, _he thought, _interesting..._

Rory sat on a bench out the front of school, her shoulders heaving and breathing ragged. _I will not cry, I will not cry, _she told herself. Why had he remembered it? She had been stupid to write about that in the first place. He couldn't ask her to use that story, to use those emotions that were still so raw for the entertainment of Chilton parents. Everyone would know then, they wouldn't be hers anymore.

Tristan watched her for a few minutes from the shadows at the entry to Chilton. She was definitely a different girl to the one he'd left, dressed up in her costume nearly two years before. Of course people changed, but he'd neverthought he'd see this in Rory Gilmore. So perhaps he had lied when he'd told the guys he hadn't pined for her while he was away. In the beginning he had, he'd even started a few letters to her that he'd never sent. He had been completely infatuated with her at the time. Of course, that had faded as those things do, but seeing her sitting, sobbing most likely, still made his chest tighten.

Rory didn't acknowledge him at first when he sat down next to her, concentrating instead on her knotted hands. Finally she took a deep breath and in a strong, clear voice, spoke to him.

"I'm sorry I got hysterical like that. But I mean it when I say we can't use that story...it couldn't end well, it _doesn't_ end well."

Tristan studied her, her flame-red curls bounced around her face, hiding her emotions from him as her clinical voice shared nothing.

"Who was he?" Tristan asked.

Roy stiffened but didn't say anything.

"The guy in the story I mean," He clarified.

Rory sighed,

"I knnow who you meant Tristan, but you need to understand tha you have no right to know anymore."

Slowly she stood.

"I'll come over to your house after school and we can get this thing done, try and think of another idea."

Tristan sat in stunned silence as she left.

----------

"Woo ooh," Sang Luna, "Triiiistaaan," She had been chattering to him all the down the hall but he was a million miles away.

"Yeah?" he asked, irritatedly.

"Well sorry," She huffed under her breath and his frown broke.

"I'm sorry," He said with a smile, wrapping his arm around her.

She frowned but decided against reprimanding him for ignoing her. Instead, she wrapped her arm around his waist and continued on with her story as they entered the cafeteria.

Rory, Louise and Madeline were seated at their table waiting for Finn when Virge and Tom sat down. They were two guys who had run with them the year before, but, like the others, had dropped away afterwards. Rory looked up in surprise.

"Hey Gilmore," Virge greeted her with a wink, "Saw you at Blake's on the weekend, looking good." She smiled sweetly but inwardly rolled her eyes. Louise pouted.

"And what about me?" She asked.

"_You _my only love, looked devastatingly beautiful," Finn said as he took his seat beside her and kissed her temple. Louise smiled brightly and started eating her salad.

"So Gilmore, are you gonna give me a hug or just sit there so far away?" Virge asked. He had always been convinced that Rory had it bad for him. She pouted and stood up, stretching across the table to cup his cheek with her hand.

"Aww, poor Virge all alone with Tommy!" she cooed.

----------

Tristan found his gaze landing solidly on Rory Gilmore throughout lunch. His eyebrows shot up as she stroked Virge Caplan's cheek. In front of him Luna's phone was vibrating madly on the table. She snatched it up and, with an apologetic look to Summer, raced out of the cafeteria. Tristan kept his eyes trained on Rory as she sat back down with a giggle, tossing her hair over her shoulder. She seemed so happy, so normal now, not the sobbing, hysterical wreck he'd seen that morning. He cocked his head, confused what he was feeling.

----------

Luna pressed her hands to her eyes, willing the tears to stop as she stood outside the cafeteria. Finally she wasable to pocket her mobile and make her way to Tristan's table.

"Tristan," She said quietly, her voice startlingly sober. She laid her hand on his shoulder and he turned, laughing to see her.

Tristan took in Luna's red-rimmed eyes and skaing hands. In a second he was on his feet.

"What's wrong?"

She bit her trembling lip and stared at the ceiling.

"Something's happened, something in the gulf...I...can we go home?"

Rory watched as Tristan ledd a shaking Luna from the cafeteria. What was going on with _them_?

-----

**AN: **_So there it is, sorry about how short it was, but I will reward the faithful with a nice, juicy chapter next! R&R!_


	7. Chapter 7

**_AN: Okay, so this was a lot longer coming than I first expected. Trith is I've been very lazy. I'd like to say I've been busy with Uni work but the sad truth is that that's fallen by the wayside too. I've been too busy getting my first TATTOO! Woo hoo! And I've been preoccupied with a new boy toy. He he he. Anyway, I hope nobody's been put off by the lack of updates and I hope you enjoy this chapter._**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, even this comuter belongs to my mummy.**

_---_

_**...Now I wrap myself around you like a blanket full of doubt...**_

Tristan was staring blankly out of his bedroom window and barely registered the motorbike tearing up his long drive until it arrived at the mansion, spraying gravel as it pulled to an abrupt stop. He leaned his head against the lass and watched as Rory Gilmore climbed off the back and kissed the helmetless rider on the cheek, slinging her satchel over her shoulder and startin up the stairs. Tristan watched the bike roar away before startg downstairs to collect her.

They met on the stairs as a maid was leading Rory upwards.

"Hey," Tristan said quietly, his eyes flickering over her face, still uncertain about where they stood. She smiled valiantly.

"Hey."

The maid, a new one whose name Tristan couldn't remember, curtsied and made her way sedately back downstairs.

"My room's this way," tristan began as he started upstairs, "unless you're want to work somewh else..." He trailed off, remembering the old Rory who would've been so uncomfortable in his room.

"That's fine, your room is fine," She said quickly, skipping to catch up with him.

---------

They were stonewalled. They had been half-heartedly suggesting ideas to each other for the last hour, that both knew would never work. It was pointless. Rory sighed in frustration and slammed her pen and paper down on Tristan's bed where they were both sitting. Suddenly her frown cleared and she looked hopeful.

"What?" Tristan asked.

"Why don't we write about us?" She suggested quietly as she studied his bedspread. He raised his eyebrows but she din't see.

"Us?"

"Yeah," She continued, head still down, "...about how we could never seem to get it right." She looked up at him, biting her lip softly. He sucked in his breath when their eyes met. It all came flowing back to him, washing over him in a wave, everything he'd felt all that time ago. It was strange how you could forget things with absence and time, yet never really forget them, not when a glance, a word...a memory could bring everything flowing back to drown you.

He watched his hand as though it belonged to someone else, snaking out to lay gently against her silky cheek. She turned into his palm, her soft lips pressing against his skin, searing him. Slowly, so achingly slowly they inched towards each other before he closed the halting gap, crushing his lips to hers in a kiss too long coming. She melted against him and had to remind herself to breathe.

She pulled away first, her eyes searching his for some sign before she moved closer to him, bringing her han up to tangle her slender fingers in his hair. He sighed and pressed his lips to hers again, more urgently this time, his hand finding it's way to the small of her back to bring her closer. She was so warm, so soft. He hadn't dreamed she'd feel like this as he pulled her closer and closer, as close as she posibly could be.

And then she was laid back on his bed, her gentle curls fanning around her like a flaming halo as he hovered above her, trailing kisses along her collar-bone. Her fingers still played with his hair while his traced patterns on her jutting hip. They both looked up in shock when the door was thrown open unexpectedly. Tristan, half expecting to see the maid, was horrified when he looked up into Luna's shocked face.

Luna's cheeks flamed in embarrassment.

"I...uh...er..." _What do people say in these situations? _"S...sorry." She finally stuttered, turning quickly to hurry out of the room, slamming th door behind her. In spite of herself Rory burst into giggles as Tristan pushed himself up to a sitting position. He groaned and hung his head in his hands while Rory fixed her top.

"Oh come on Tristan, it was funny,"

He groaned again.

"Oh yeah, fucking hilarious," He muttered.

Rory playfully grabbed his hands and prised them away from his face. His sober eyes met her mirthful ones and he finally cracked a smile.

"I think she was much more embarrassed than we were," Rory whispered.

"Not surprising," Tristan added.

Rory aisedher eyebrow.

"We uh...there's...there's nothing going on with you two is there?"

"No!" Tristan cried, "Well...no...not really,"

Rory pulled back and crossed her arms.

"Okay DuGrey, spill. Who's the girl and what's she doing here? Because personally, I'm not buyin the pregnancy scandal"

Tritan sighed,

"It's nothing like that,"

"So explain."

The main reason that Tristan had been sent to military school, he told Rory, aside from his obnoxious behaviour, was that a family friend of his mother was the Commandant of Cadets and he had promised Jeannette DuGrey that he could straighten out her wayward son as well as keeping an eye on him. So Tristan, after one too many misdemeanours, had been shipped off to Lieutenant Colonel Warren Ricketson. Warren, Tristan soon discovered, was also the legal guardian of his _much _younger half-sister Luna Kinsela. Under big brother's often disapproving eye, Tristan and Luna had become closer and closer, recognising somet in each other.

"In a lot of ways she's my female counterpart," He explined.

Rory raised her eyebrow.

"Not in _every _way obviously," He added quickly, "but we do have a lot in common. We started dating, although there's only s much you can do for a date at military school but we managed it for a few months."

"What happened?" Rory asked quietly, now sitting next to him on the floor, their backs against his mattress. He shrugged.

"I don't know, it's like we both woke up one day and realised that it wasn't really there..." He glanced over at her, feeling her eyes on him. "You know...we were better off as friends."

Rory did know of course, she completely understood that feeling. She nodded for him to go on.

"So...that's what we did, just ebcame friends,"

"But why dd you both come back here?"

That was more complicated apparently, when the trouble in the Persian Gulf began to look as though it wasn't going away in a hurry, Lieutenant Colonel Warren Ricketson, of the Marines, was called back in to active duty.

"I suppose that mom ddn't want the two of us there running amok, she preferred for us to do it where we could be watched, even if was she who had to do the watching. So, within a week of him shipping out, she brought us back here."

He had found a tennis ball somewhere and was bouncing it against the wall, the clunk as it hit and rebounded strangely soothing. Rory nodded slowly. Hhe slowly rolled his head to face her.

"Well?" He asked expectantly.

"Well what?" She asked, meeting his eyes in confusion.

He smirked.

"I told you, now you tell me. What happened to little Miss Mary that turn her into such a Magdalene?"

Rory glared at him.

"Shut it Tristan,"

"Oh come on, tell me...who was the guy? Was it Bag Boy?"

She remained silent, her cheeks flooding with colour.

"No?" Tristan pressed on, "What happened? Did a boyfrend not call you back? Or was it the mysters man of your story?"

He barely had time to register what was happening before he felt he stinging slap across his face.

Her eyes were filled with tears when he finally met them and he felt something pull in his chest.

"Rory I..."

"Don't you dare pretend to know what's happened to me!" She roared as she reached for her satchel. She clattered out his door and down the stairs ebfore he'd even pulled himself up off the floor.

----------

Rory's shoulders heaved when she finally stopped running and leant against a friendly red-brick wall. She didn't understand what was happening to her, where these rages and tears were oming from when she'd managed to hold it together so well all this time. She _had _been holding it together hadn't she? Shakily she reached into her satchel for the apcket of cigarettes she always had there. She rarely smoked, they were usually just her tool in times like these, to calm her down. She lit the cigarette ad drew back heavily, exhaling the smoke through pouted lips as she dialed Finn's number with shaking fingers.

"Damn!" She cursed loudly when a computerised voice informed her his cell was switched off. As she finished her cigarette, she looked around. She wasn't far from The Icon's house. She hesitated for a moment, could she keep this up? This running backwards and forwards?_ Just for today_, she assured herself as she headed towards his place, _Just for today._

_---------- _

His parent's weren't home, but then, that was no surprise to her. She let herself in the side door she knew to always be unlocked and made her way to the basement where The Icon lived. He was sitting on the couch, his eyes trained on, but not watching the television. In the dim light, his hair glowed like a halo. He contemplated her silently when she dropped her satchel noisily at the base of the stairs. She didn't say anything and neither did he as she walked slowly towards the couch. Finally she stood in front of him. He looked up, his eyes ner leaving hers, and somehow they understood each other. She threw off her blazer, her tie long aandoned in the bottom of her bag, along with her vest. Her fingers nimbly undid the buttons of her Chilton shirt until it lay on top of her blazer, his eyes followed every action. Wordlessly she straddled his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He still hadn't moved, hadn't spoken. She leaned into him, pressing her lips to his.

"Angus..." She whispered.

"I thought we said we were going to stop this," He whispered back as he buried his face in her neck and dealt quickly with the clasp on her bra. She tangled her fingers in his hair, feeling the tears start their lonely trek down her cheeks.

"We did...we will," She whispered as they didn't stop a thing.

-------

_**AN: For anyone uncertain, when she whispered "Angus" she was using The Icon's real name. Please don't hate me for this chapter, trust me this is definitely going to be a Trory. But what would a Trory be without a whole lot of angst and obstructions? Please review...please? **_


	8. Chapter 8

**_AN: Wow so it has been an age since I updated this story. I'm not sure why, I don't think I felt as strongly about it as I did about For You but I'm back on track with my ideas for it. Thank you so much to absolutely everyone who has left reviews and has wondered when in the world I'm going to update._**

**_A special thank you and dedication to Becca G: Pour Vous_**

**_Disclaimer: Sadly nothing has changed and I still don't own Gilmore Girls._**

**_---_**

**_Does he make you cry? Does he know the way you feel?_**

When Lorelai arrived home from dinner with Sookie she found Rory sitting curled and mute on the porch. She was the first to concede that she was no expert at reading her daughter anymore but it didn't take a genius to realize that Rory had slid into one of her dark moods. Lorelai sat down next to her. Rory acknowledged her mother with a slight incline of her head towards the older woman, the longer strands of her hair brushing Lorelai's thigh.

"Kiddo"

"Mom"

"What's up?"

Rory shrugged and brushed her hair back from her face, showing off pale cheeks that caused something in Lorelai's chest to tighten.

"What was it like?" Lorelai asked before she had the time to stop herself.

Rory showed no sign of being shocked by the question, so long unasked. Instead she looked out towards the town. Lorelai had almost given up hope of an answer when Rory finally spoke.

"At first I wished I hadn't been there but…but now…" She took a deep, quivering breath, "Now I'm glad that I was, that I had that last chance. It something the other's didn't…something that The Icon and I can share as well."

Lorelai looked out past the front yard as well, leaning in towards her daughter, neither noticing the increasingly crisp air.

---

Once Lorelai had left for the morning, Rory threw the bed-covers off herself and made her way into the kitchen after changing into a hoodie and a pair of loose jeans. When Lorelai had come in to wake Rory up Rory had claimed illness. And, as she did that so rarely, Lorelai let her have the day off school and had called Finn to let him know not to come.

After pouring herself a coffee she wandered into the silent living room that always seemed cold on days like this, lifeless. She sat on the couch and flicked randomly through channels, ignoring the homework she could have been doing.

She wished she could say that the afternoon before had been a mistake, and in some ways it was, but it was a mistake that she and The Icon had made over and over since that night so long ago that wasn't really all that long ago. Despite all their promises and the closeness of their little gang, she and the Icon were the ones that understood each other the best. In the beginning, when it had first happened, it was this wonderful thing, like they'd found something to fill up the part inside both of them that was empty. It was only with the clarity of hindsight that Rory could see she was emptier than ever.

It took her a while to register the sound of the doorbell. She rolled her head to stare at the door, as though she couldn't quite understand where the distant noise was coming from. Finally, still gripping her cooling coffee, she shuffled towards the door.

Strangely she wasn't surprised to see him there, an apologetic look written all over his face. She cocked her head, watching him, waiting for him to say something where in the past she would have already been mid-babble.

"You weren't at school"

Tristan's voice sounded strange to himself, like a child's.

"This I know," Rory replied with a wry smile. "You'd better come inside"

He let out a deep breath and followed her into the kitchen.

"I don't know why I'm here" He began as she poured him a coffee.

"Why _are _you here Tristan?" She asked levelly, coolly.

He gazed at her.

"To apologise?"

She laughed.

"Really?"

"I don't know, it just…it felt right…to come here"

Rory handed him his unasked for coffee and leaned against the bench.

"I snapped yesterday" She said.

"I know"

"You were being an ass"

"I know"

He sighed and took a sip of his coffee.

"What class are you missing?" Rory asked.

"History…I'm devastated" He replied dryly and she smiled as she stared out of the window.

The dim sunlight was filtering through the window but all she could see was darkness and then a burst of bright light, voices and then she back in that damned bedroom on the bare mattress, her jeans still unbuttoned and her skin cold beneath the flimsy bra.

"Rory"

She could barely hear Tristan's voice as he crossed to stand in front of her.

"Rory" He repeated, more urgently this time. He slowly lifted his hand to brush his fingers against her cheek. "What happened to you?" He whispered.

She closed her eyes tight and turned her face to meet his, praying the tears wouldn't escape as she felt his lips press against her own in a kiss she knew would leave bruises all over her. She felt his arms encircle her waist and pull her closer to him and then all she could feel was him, after all, it _was _a nice idea.

**AN: I know it wasn't a very long chater and for that I apologise but know that the next one will definitely not be as damn long in coming!!! Please R&R!!!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Well it seems like everyone liked the last chapter and that everyone was please to finally see an update!!! I was so please with the response, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GG or the lyrics to SR-71's "My World"**

---

**_...I've had enough of fears, you let them out..._**

Rory walked into school on Friday with Finn, he was telling her a story that she doubted was true about what he and the Icon had gotten up to the night before. Truth be told she was distracted, and she couldn't honestly say that she wasn't subtly keeping an eye out for Tristan.

As the pair passed a freshman classroom Rory looked up and locked eyes with Tristan who was leaning against Hamish's locker. She stared at him openly, unabashedly, and he met her gaze equally as coolly before a small smile tugged at her lips.

When she turned back to Finn she found he was watching her strangely.

"What was that love?"

"A teenage fantasy Finn, tell me more about the absinthe"

He laughed and slung his arm around her, continuing with his tall tales.

---

Rory spun the dial of her locker, glad she'd finally been switched to one that worked when she heard the heavy thud of the Icon as he leaned against the locker next to hers.

"Hey" She said quietly, not looking at him.

He remained silent, he knew her too well, he knew she wouldn't be able to ignore his silence. Slowly she turned to meet his gaze.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly, not letting her eyes go.

"Me missing school?"

He inclined his head slightly.

"Among other things"

" I didn't feel up to it yesterday…that's it"

"That's not it…was it the other night?"

Rory's eyes widened, they never discussed _that, _never discussed _them, _at least, not in public. She quickly looked around to see if anyone was listening.

"Rory did I do something wrong?"

Her eyes softened and she smiled sadly at him.

"Of course not, that's silly…why would you think that? I love you"

He stared at the ground.

"I don't want to lose you" He said finally and she moved in closer to him and felt his hand on her neck, burning.

"I know" She whispered.

She slammed her locker shut, breaking the moment.

"Unfortunately you _are _going to lose me to my first class, but I'll see you at lunch"

She walked off, knowing that he knew she was lying.

---

"We _have _to have the kiss" Tristan told her.

Rory glared at him.

"But then everyone will know that I cried!" She whined.

He smirked.

"I thought you believed in all that truth, beauty bullshit"

"Shut up and write the damn scene" She grumbled, resting her head in her hands.

She looked up when she felt his eyes on her and found herself smiling again.

"What?" She asked.

Her smile wasn't returned, instead he looked confused.

"You're a mystery to me" he said quietly, thoughtfully.

"A little mystery can be sexy" She said coyly, staring up at him from beneath her long eyelashes.

"I just find it frustrating," he mumbled.

She fell silent.

"Don't forget to put in the part when you were leaving," she said suddenly.

He looked up at her questioningly.

"What did I say?"

Rory smiled.

"You said 'I'd kiss you, but your boyfriend is watching'"

Tristan laughed.

"You should have kissed me anyway" She continued quietly, thankful they had chosen an empty classroom to work in.

Tristan sighed and took off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"You know there's a party at the Hamilton's this weekend" Tristan said, looking her in the eye.

"Mmmm?"

"And I thought I might go"

"Really?" Rory asked, playing along with a smirk.

"And I thought it would be nice if you were also to go"

"Interesting concept" She muttered.

"It would probably nice if we were to run into each other before hand as well, and eat"

"Like, in a restaurant?"

Tristan grinned.

"Restaurant, road house, hardware store…whatever"

Rory burst out laughing at his ironic turn of phrase.

"Yes Tristan, I would like to be your date for the Hamilton party on Saturday night"

She stood up as the bell rang and gathered her books up. She was halfway out of the room before she heard him calling after her.

"Date? Who said anything about a date?"

She laughed and waved over her shoulder at him as she was swallowed into the caterpillar of students.

---

Rory chewed slowly on her fries and was a million miles away when Louise sat down across from her, a grin plastered across her pretty face. Slowly Louise's grin began to drop until finally she waved to get Rory's attention. Lazily Rory looked up at her.

"Yes?"

Louise smirked and Rory looked at her, confused. Smugly Louise turned to the rest of their table.

"I have an announcement to make" She said loudly.

"Another one to put up there along with the "I Have a Dream" speech no doubt," Rory quipped dryly. Louise glared at her before continuing.

"I am _happy_ to announce that our very own _Mary _Gilmore, has managed to snag a date with the oh-so-hot and recently re-throned king of Chilton, Tristan DuGrey himself"

"I do?" Rory asked, "Cause he was quite adamant it isn't a date"

"Whatever" Louise muttered as Madeline grabbed Rory's hand, wanting to know all the particulars.

As Madeline prattled on about what Rory would be wearing to the party (the same dress she was going to wear before Tristan had asked her in a round-about, half-assed way to go with him) Rory looked up and caught the Icons' eye. He was gazing at her levelly, a look of understanding flickering in his cool green eyes, a look that said _Ahh, now I know. _She fought to keep feelings of guilt at bay, damn it, she didn't owe him anything.

He caught up her after she left the cafeteria.

"So a date with the King huh?"

"Mmm"

"Don't be coy Rory, it's not something you're good at"

"Well you're standing around pointing out facts I already know, what do you want me to say?"

"Is this why you've been acting so weird?"

Rory arrived at her locker to collect the books she'd need until the end of the day.

"What you think one date with Tristan turns my world inside out? No, Icon, why can't you be like a normal guy and just assume I have PMS?" She asked irritatedly.

"_Do _you have PMS?"

Despite herself, Rory laughed.

"No"

"I thought he wasn't interested in you, what changed?"

"I don't know, I _am _pretty irresistible though. You'd know all about that wouldn't you?" She asked him, lowering her voice to a sultry whisper as she looked up at him.

He closed his eyes and groaned.

"That's not fair Rory, you can't do that"

"Well what does it matter if I have a date?"

Suddenly he reverted back to his cool demeanor. He shrugged.

"It doesn't. We going out tonight?"

Rory grinned at him.

"It's a sure thing, I'll meet you after school"

She stood up on her toes quickly and kissed him on the cheek before rushing off.

---

Tristan watched her as she made her way to her locker at the end of the day. It was strange, in some ways he wanted to smile softly to himself because he had gotten his date after all this time. But in other ways he was perturbed, sure, he had the date, but he didn't know who he had it with.

She smiled as he leaned against her locker.

"Bible Boy"

He laughed.

"I thought we should get together tonight and work on our play" He suggested.

She raised her eyebrow.

"Work on our play? On a Friday night? In _your _bedroom?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Well?"

She sighed and slammed her locker door shut.

"Sorry Tristan, no can do, I have a hot date tonight" She winked at him mischievously and he only just managed to stop the look of horror that was rushing to his face.

She patted his shoulder,

"Call me tomorrow about the Hamilton's party" She breathed and turned to walk off.

Before she got too far away she turned back to him.

"Better leave in until the afternoon to call me," She suggested, shrugging, "It could be a late night".

Shaking his head in disbelief he followed her through the throng, losing sight of her but he found her again as he left the building and watched her running into the embrace of the new guy, besides Louise's car, the Icon. Tristan's eyes narrowed and he slammed his fist into the door. What the hell was going on?

**AN: Please remamber to R&R!!!**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Well I'm glad everybody seems to be happy with my updates! Keep those reviews coming, I forgot how wonderful they are to get the creative juices flowing!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GG nor do I own the lyrics for SR-71's "My World"**

…_**Does he make you cry? Does he know the way you feel?**_

Madeline, Louise and Rory were crowded into Rory's room getting ready for their night out, while Lorelai hovered at the door. Rory laughed at her mother who was bouncing from foot to foot almost nervously.

"You can come in mom" She said.

Lorelai clapped her hands together.

"Alright, alright, stop begging!" She exclaimed, bouncing over to the bed and watching Rory put on liquid eyeliner with the same concentration she gave her history homework.

"So where are you girls going tonight?"

Louise shrugged.

"I don't know, there's supposed to be a party…if that sucks we'll just go on the prowl"

Lorelai looked pensive.

"I think I should be far more concerned when one of my teenage daughter's friends says they're 'going on the prowl'"

"Ahhh," replied Rory, not pausing her work on her eyelids, "But you have one of those rare teenage daughters who is neither flippant nor stupid"

Lorelai smiled proudly.

"I knew I did the right thing switching you with that loud baby that cried all the time and couldn't count its toes"

Rory shot her mother a horrified look and Lorelai just laughed.

"Did Rory tell you about her date tomorrow night Lorelai?" Madeline asked, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness as Rory whipped around and flashed her a look.

Lorelai whistled woo-ooo.

"Who's the lucky guy Ror?"

"_She's _the lucky one Miss Gi…Lorelai"

Lorelai narrowed her eyes.

"Nice save Louise…now who's the guy"

Rory sighed heavily and turned to face her mom.

"Okay mom, but you can't make a big deal out of this…"

"Oh my god…oh my god is it Johnny Depp?"

"What?" Rory asked, flustered, "No mom, it's Tristan DuGrey"

Lorelai gasped.

"Bible Boy? ET? Spawn of Satan?"

Rory rolled her eyes.

"D all of the above, he's taking me to the Hamilton's party tomorrow night"

"What are you gonna wear?"

"The dress I was always going to wear, the orange one"

"Oooh…cute. I've got the perfect shoes"

"Mom it's not my senior prom"

"Rory if this was your senior prom, the living room would be filled with bolts of fabric and we'd still be putting final touches on patterns, staying up all night, cutting pictures of hairstyles out and taping them to the window"

Rory rolled her eyes again and said to the girls in a stage whisper,

"Can you elope for a Prom?"

Lorelai snickered.

"I think you can in Europe" She quipped back before focusing in on the outfit Rory was wearing.

She wore a short, tight black skirt over opaque black tights with a pair of brown, high-heeled, knee-high boots. Her top was a long sleeved mocha-coloured bat-wing jumper cinched in with a wide belt.

"Looking good off-spring"

"Thanks mom" Rory replied as she spritzed her curls with a small amount of hairspray.

"We ready girls?"

"Yup and the Icon said he and Finn are five minutes away"

---

Half an hour later they were at the party being thrown by one of the public schools in Hartford. The Icon greeted kids as he walked in, his arm slung around Rory.

"You look good Princess" He said to her as he handed her a drink.

She gripped his chin with a tiny hand.

"You charmer, you"

The party was good, not as upscale as a Chilton party, but the gang made their own fun anywhere they went, and Rory was positive that the Icon had still managed to find some cheap Charlie to put up his nose. She disapproved of course, but she'd long given up trying to control everything the Icon did.

He had become cockier than usual and was chatting up a local girl against the wall when Finn decided it was a reasonable time to play "Lampshade man" by be-hatting himself with the nearest lamp-shade, wrapping a curtain around himself and standing on the back of the couch in the living room while idiotic jocks cheered him on from behind the keg. Louise and Madeline were chanting with them while Rory rolled her eyes at his promised to stand for truth, beauty, freedom and drinks all around, before tumbling onto the seat of the couch and finding himself, quite opportunistically, in the lap of a willing and able redhead. He winked at Rory and gave her a thumbs up and she decided she needed another drink.

---

The party was shut down soon after and Madeline told them about a new club Tim had spent the weekend before at. She led them down an alleyway, the Icon's girl still in tow, to a back door where they were admitted into a stairwell that curved up and up before it came out into a thumping club.

"This is more like it" Rory cried.

"Yeah this is what _I _was talkin' about" Louise agreed.

Rory looked around for Finn and the Icon and spotted them already over near the bar. She shook her head and grinned, making her way towards them.

"Hey Ace"

Rory froze at the voice that sent shivers down her spine. Feeling tears well behind her eyes she forced the anger to overwhelm them as she spun on her heel. She knew he'd be smirking and she wanted to beat it off his face.

"What the fuck are you doing here Huntzberger?" She demanded, her voice icy and low.

At the mention of his names Louise and Madeline spun on their heels, rushing to Rory's side. Logan smirked again.

"So cold Rory? I remember when you used to moan my name…turned me on"

"Fuck you"

He grinned and took a sip of her beer, it was all Rory needed as she launched herself at him wanting to claw his beady eyes out. She tackled him to the floor, his beer flying into the wall. He'd never admit but it took every ounce of his strength to keep her from hurting him.

"No Rory!" Louise screamed, bringing Finn and The Icon running.

It was The Icon who pulled an hysterical Rory off Logan who was still grinning. He stood back up, nursing a cut lip where she had managed to get him. His smirk faltered when he made eye contact with the Icon but was back in full force.

"Well, well the whole gang's here…well…not the whole gang"

"Right, that's it" Finn said as he calmly walked up to Logan, throwing a fierce punch.

Louise screamed again as Finn shook his hand out.

"Well I think I'm about to be kicked out" Finn quipped. "Oh well, with the shit they let in here these days, doesn't really bother me"

That last remark was directed at Logan who was being helped up by the bouncer. The Icon sheltered Rory as they made their way out of the club, but none of them could shelter her from the whispered,

"See you soon Ace"

---

The group spilled out of the club.

"What's going on?" the girl with the Icon was asking.

He turned to her as though seeing her for the first time then glanced back around at his friends; a fuming Finn, Madeline was shivering and Louise had tears glistening in her eyes. And Rory, Rory didn't seem to know whether to cry or scream.

The Icon looked down at the girl, Lisa her name was.

"I'm sorry Lis, this night isn't going anywhere, I'm gonna get you a cab"

She smiled at him and twined her fingers with his.

"Come on…surely I can come with you guys?" She asked hopefully.

Rory squeezed her eyes, knowing the tone of voice the girl was about to hear. As beautiful and sweet as the Icon could be, when he turned (and he _always _turned, except on them) he could be cold and cruel.

"I said _no_" He told her forcefully as he hailed a cab. "What's your address?"

She told him sullenly, obviously humiliated and he directed the cab that way, handing the driver a fifty.

He turned back to the group.

"Now that problem's taken care of, I say we got to the lake. Come on Princess"

He took Rory's hand, pulling her close enough to him to wrap his jacket around her.

---

Rory was silent for most of the drive to the lakehouse (where they spent most of the summer days), until they'd reached it and gotten their beer and she knew she was free to say it all.

She didn't understand what had happened.

"He's supposed to be in jail" She was muttering, "When did he get out?" Suddenly an understanding dawned on her.

"Did you two know he was out?" She demanded, turning on Finn and the Icon who both nodded.

"Rory, love, it was a juvenile crime, you _knew _he'd be out within the year"

Rory bit her lip, seeing the truth in that. She'd known it was a good chance when she first heard the sentence.

"I just…I didn't expect to see him"

Turning her face up to the sky she let out a high pitched, angst-filled scream and fell to her knees. Louise wrapped an arm around her.

"You know he'll come back to Chilton" She said miserably.

"He wouldn't" Madeline whispered.

"Of course he would, if he didn't it'd be admitting guilt"

She took a swig of her beer.

"I hate him"

"We all hate him love" Finn said quietly.

Rory looked around at them, her eyes finally resting on the Icon who refused to meet her gaze.

"I know"


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: When it rains it pours, another chappie for you!!!**

* * *

**_...Is he everything to you?_**

Rory sat passively while Louise worked on her hair, pulling it back into a sleek up do so that her fringe fell across her eyes. Outside the window the day was grey and Rory could sympathise with the weather. She felt Louise squeeze her shoulder gently.

"Your hair is done"

Rory looked into the mirror of the dressing table and smiled softly at her reflection.

"It's beautiful, thank you Louise"

Louise drove her home to Stars Hollow that afternoon, telling her she'd meet her at the party.

Rory was laying out the dress she'd chosen when her phone rang. She smiled as she answered it.

"Hello Princess"

"Princess?" Tristan asked with a chuckle and Rory smiled again.

"Well 'Evil Tristan' doesn't seem so apt anymore"

"I'm glad…"

"So what time are you picking me up?"

He paused, the truth was he'd been calling originally to cancel their date. He had been furious the day before when she'd told him about her "hot date" with the Icon and even moreso when he saw them in the car park. After having a night at home to stew over it he had come to the decision that he was still Tristan DuGrey, especially when he was back here, and no girl could do that to him. But something in her voice stopped him.

"Tristan?"

"Uh…six thirty. I'll be there at six thirty"

"Ok"

She placed her cell phone down on her dresser and let her eyes fall to the photograph that had been blown up and framed in a blue glass frame. She smiled sadly, wondering if she would forever be pulled this way and that by the emotions of that time. They looked so young, she thought, although it was only taken just over a year before. It had been taken at Chilton, in the carpark, before they left for the weekend on a road trip to the beach. Rory concentrated on herself, her body framed in St. Jimmy's arms and his head resting on her shoulder, both of them grinning. Finn was lounging next to them, Madeling sitting on the bonnet of Louise's car, Louise standing next to her. The Icon was standing to the side of Finn, and beside him was a smirking Logan. Rory had only kept the photograph because it reminded her of the good times, but now…

She felt a presence in the room and turned to see Lorelai leaning in the doorway.

"Your hair looks great kiddo"

"Thanks mom, how are you?"

"I'm good…what about you though? You were a million miles away just then"

"More like a million hours away"

Lorelai nodded understandingly.

"What time is the boy picking you up?"

"Six thirty" Rory replied.

"You'd better get ready then"

* * *

The party was an annual affair thrown by the Hamilton's. Rory didn't know the reason, she just knew that the invitation arrived every year.

The Hamilton's were relatively new on the Hartford Social scene and as such seemed to feel they had to throw more spectacular parties each year.

They usually had themes and this years, thankfully, was "old world glamour". The year before had been "A night aboard the Titanic" and Rory had gone home wearing an inflatable life vest and loudly telling anyone who would listen that she was "dressed in her best and ready to go down as scheduled". Finn had teased her about it for months.

This year she had opted for a recreation of Charlize Theron's 1930s inspired, orange Vera Wang gown that she wore to the Oscar's after _The Cider House Rules _came out. Over it she wore one of her grandmother's furs, a huge, heavy thing that trailed all the way to the ground.

So when it was taken from her by the maid at the Hamilton's, Tristan still hadn't seen her gown and had to suck in his breath when he did. The orange set off her milky skin perfectly and contrasted with the blue of her eyes. Not saying a word, he offered her his arm and led her into the ballroom.

Rory gave the room a perfunctory scan, spying Louise and the Icon by the bar. She smiled gently, the kid cleaned up good. Gone was the requisite beanie and he had managed to tame his blonde curls back. He looked so handsome in his dinner suit. Speaking of handsome, she smiled up at Tristan. Where the Icon looked every bit the gentleman, Tristan looked somewhat rumpled, but it worked on him. He had made no effort whatsoever with his hair which was as mussed as it ever was and his tie was slightly askew. But she liked that look, that look of not really caring, as though life were too important to be restricted by what you're wearing to a party that evening. He looked as though he'd driven fast all the way there, with the window down and the wind whipping through his hair.

She squeezed his arm and asked if Luna was coming that night. He shook his head and told her they still hadn't had word from the gulf and she hadn't felt up to coming out that night. Tristan greeted an associate of his father's coolly and while she was standing next to him, Rory felt an arm being slung around her shoulder.

"Hello love"

"Hey Finny," She said warmly, hugging her friend.

He leaned his head into hers.

"Are you okay after last night?"

She stiffened in his embrace.

"Yes" She replied tightly, she knew he wouldn't believe her, and she knew she had been a mess until she'd finally fallen asleep. But she had to be ok, it was the only way she was going to get through the latest developments.

"Ok…and you look hot!" He told her before motioning he was heading for the bar.

Rory turned back to Tristan who was watching her closely.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, noticing her hard set face.

"Nothing" She replied, trying to appear airy.

"Right"

He was struck again by the angles to this new Rory, her features were almost pointed at the moment, set hard against the world, like a mask, like the masks he'd seen on his friends, on his parents, on himself. A mask he never thought he'd see Rory Gilmore wearing.

She leaned in closer to him.

"I need a drink" She whispered.

* * *

It was a sit down dinner and the Icon took a seat next to Rory, with Tristan at her other side. She was getting angry with him, here she was on a date with Tristan and she couldn't even have a conversation without the Icon butting in or making an observation.

"Can I speak to you outside?" She finally whispered to him.

He raised an eyebrow but followed her out of the ballroom. Tristan followed them with his eyes, something forming in the back of this throat and his eyes narrowed. Louise watched him coolly, wondering what Rory was getting herself into.

"What's up?" He asked as he leaned against the wall.

"What's up, Angus, is that I am on a _date_. Ok? This isn't a group night out, I am here with _Tristan._"

"So?" He asked, looking bored.

Rory scoffed at him.

"So? So stop butting in! Stop monopolosing me! I'm trying to enjoy my date! It's not my problem if you can't deal with that!"

He rolled his eyes.

"Oh please Rory? Monopolising you? Who do you think I am? My brother?"

She stared at him in horror before recovering.

"No Angus, _trust _me…you're nothing like him"

The Icon's eyes flashed and he grabbed her arm, she winced as his fingers wrapped around her pale flesh tightly, biting into her.

"I'm sick of this Rory!"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Let me go," She hissed, her voice calm but cold in a way she'd never spoken to him before.

He shook her.

"I'm sick of having to save you Rory!"

She laughed coldly.

"Save me? What are you talking about? Let me go!"

He shook her again and she looked up into the narrow slits of his eyes, the warm murky green had turned cold and they flashed in anger and for the first time Rory felt frightened.

"I'm sick of saving you! From Logan, from Renny! I'm not going to do it again with _him_!" He spat.

Rory tried to twist away from him, her arm beginning to throb where he was holding her. Finally she stood still and in a calm voice, addressed him.

"You're hurting me, let me go"

His eyes widened momentarily and he dropped her arm. She rubbed it absently and stared back up at him.

"I have _never _asked you to save me, that's _your _white knight complex," She told him, "I have _never _needed saving. I think we both know what you're _real _problem with Tristan is"

With that she turned on her heel and stormed back into the ballroom.

Louise watched her friend as she walked calmly back towards the table. To outsiders Rory looked the picture of elegance and refinement but Louise could see that something was wrong and she noticed the Icon had not yet come back.

Rory took her seat next to Tristan.

"Is everything alright?" He asked her quietly.

She nodded and smiled wanly at him.

"Fine"

* * *

Rory stared blankly at the crowd as she danced in Tristan's arms. He was a good dancer, not that she was surprised. He held closely, confidently and she found she didn't have to think about the steps or where her feet would go next. She remembered the night she had danced at a party like this with St. Jimmy.

* * *

_She was wearing red, the colour of passion, she had chosen it because she felt that passions had been awakened in her over the past couple of months. Her hair she had left down, curling softly and framing her face. Renny had told her how beautiful she looked when she had met him at the door. _

_She looked up when a shadow fell across her, into his smiling eyes. He offered his hand, and she took it, feeling as though once she did, she'd never let go. He led her onto the crowded floor as the string quartet struck up a new number, "Lady in Red". Rory laughed._

"_You did this, didn't you?"_

_He didn't answer, just smirked at her and she laid her head on his shoulder. Taking her hand tightly, he spun her away from him and then back into him, completely ignoring the timing of the music or the accepted dance steps. She laughed and threw her head back, knowing everyone was watching them but not caring anymore as her hair streamed behind her. The gang watched from the sidelines, watched them together, knowing they were watching something important, something that would change them all._

_

* * *

_

"Are you still with me?" Tristan asked wryly.

Rory smiled absently.

"I am"

But she wasn't, not really, she was a million hours away, as she had told her mother earlier that night. She started when she felt him touch her chin, tilting her head up to his as he pressed his lips against hers, trying to bring her back to him.

She let him kiss her, wanting to feel something that she hadn't felt for a long time. Across the room two blondes scowled at the couple.

* * *

**AN: Please R&R and let me know what you're thinking. Alot of people have told me they have theories, I'd love to hear them!!!**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Ok, so a HUGE thankyou to my loyal reviewers!!!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own GG or the lyrics to SR-71s "My World"**

* * *

**_...But in my world, there is only you..._**

Rory stretched languorously as she woke up on Monday morning. She had spent the rest of the weekend lounging around the house with her books, an old style weekend, doing her homework and worry in the back of her mind about the inevitable showdowns on Monday.

Finn would be there soon to pick her up so she hurried to shower and change into her uniform, whistling in tune to matchbox 20s "How far we've come" as she brushed out her hair.

"You sound happy" Lorelai grumbled as she passed the door.

Rory smiled ironically at her reflection.

"I'm feeling pretty good" She replied determinedly.

She could tell when he arrived, that Finn didn't know about the bitter argument Rory had had with the Icon on Saturday night, Finn wasn't one to be able to hide his emotions very well. He simply handed her the helmet and took off.

As they pulled up in front of the school Rory steeled herself. She knew the Icon would be there today, despite what was happening between them, he wouldn't let them put up anything but a united front on a day like today. Louise and Madeline were waiting by Louise's car when the bike pulled up and waved to Finn and Rory. When she looked towards the school she saw the Icon kick away from the wall he'd been leaning against, ready to meet them.

"Shall we?" Rory asked.

Finn offered her his arm but she shook her head and rearranged her bag. She didn't need saving. She greeted the Icon simply and curtly and he nodded in response.

There were whispers across the campus, most of the student body had seen Logan arrive that morning, knew he was back and they were buzzing with what that could mean. As they were about to enter the school they heard a girl cry out to them.

"Wait for me!"

Rory turned, surprised to see Paris, of all people, running towards them. She came to a stop and took her place with them. Rory was the first one to step through the doors and they strode down the hallway together.

Tristan looked up when he saw Rory walk in, her mask firmly in place. Feeling his eyes on her she stared over at him blankly. Luna nudged him questioningly.

"Why do I feel like there's about to be a showdown?" She whispered to him as the group passed them.

Tristan shrugged and turned to watch. He had seen Huntzberger earlier that morning, which was strange because the last he'd heard Logan had been enrolled at Exeter. It hadn't meant anything to him of course, when he'd recognised him in the hall earlier, Huntzberger was just another Hartford brat as far as Tristan was concerned.

The gang stopped in front of the bay of lockers where Rory, Finn and Louise's were while Rory put her books away.

"Maybe he didn't come bacK' Madeline said hopefully and the Icon rolled his eyes.

"Of course he did," Rory said, trying not to snap at her friend, "Can't you hear everyone? They all _know _he's back"

Madeline bit her lip and nodded, jumping as Rory slammer her locker shut.

"We should all get to class, this isn't _Westside Story, _there's not going to be any showdown" Rory said calmly. They had shown the school they were united, that was all that was needed for now.

She walked off alone down the hall, glaring fiercely at the ground, knowing that a showdown of some sort was inevitable and thinking back to their last one.

"_You can try to make me the bad guy all you want Rory…but at the end of the day the blame doesn't lie with me"_

That was what he'd said to her. She supposed he meant that what had happened was her fault but she wouldn't accept that, couldn't. She was torn from her thoughts as someone grabbed her arm and began steering her down the hall. She look up in anger but that softened when she realised it was Tristan.

"Hey"

"Hi" He said abruptly.

"Are we going to the janitor's closet?" Rory asked with a wink.

He smiled despite himself but shook his head, steering out of the school building.

"Tristan," She began, getting frustrated with him. "What are you doing? I have class"

"This is important"

She nodded and let him lead her to his car.

"Get in"

She climbed into the passenger seat as he walked around to the driver's side.

"So what's going on?" She asked, feigning carelessness.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that?"

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"You want to know about Logan Huntzberger?"

He nodded.

"Let's go for a drive," Rory suggested, "I'll tell you, but I want to get away from here".

* * *

They had driven around Hartford and stopped for breakfast at a café. 

"Logan was kicked out of Exeter," Rory told him, "So Mitchum brought him back here and enrolled him in Chilton. It wasn't long after the boys arrived and he knew Finn so he knocked around with us"

Tristan nodded as they received their food. Rory took a sip of her coffee and sighed.

"Did you date him?" Tristan asked.

Rory nodded.

"In a momentary lapse of judgement I did" She admitted, "There was stuff that happened, it split the group…"

She trailed off and took a bite of her pizza bagel.

"Care to elaborate?" Tristan asked.

Rory sighed heavily.

"No, not really"

Tristan raised his eyebrow.

"Look," She said conspiratorially, "I'll tell you what you'll hear around the traps. Logan has been in jail, well, juvie anyway…for months now. He's just gotten out thanks, I assume, to daddy's money and words in the right ears"

She leaned back and took a long gulp of her coffee.

"What did he do?" Tristan asked.

"He shot someone"

Tristan's eyes widened as Rory looked down at the ground.

"Murder?"

"No…not murder"

She brought her hands up to her face and rubbed her eyes.

"Anyway," She continued, "by that point the group was divided and we shut him out. Now he's back"

Tristan nodded and they finished their meal in silence.

* * *

When they got back to the car Tristan automatically opened the door for her and turned to smile at him. 

"What?" He asked, uncomfortable.

She didn't answer, instead she grabbed his tie and pulled him towards her, crushing her lips against his. Surprised he almost stumbled before he managed to regain ground and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she brushed her tongue over his soft lips. She felt her shoulder bump painfully against the car but didn't care as she felt that old, familiar warmth spreading through her.

If only standing on a Hartford side-street, making out with Tristan could erase everything that was set to blow up soon enough.

* * *

They made it back to school for the period before lunch, which was, coincidentally, the creative writing class they shared. They found an empty classroom to use to work on the play. Rory sat on the teacher's desk, reading over that they had managed to write so far, which was a whole lot of nothing. 

"We have nothing" Rory said calmly.

"Mmmm" Tristan replied, moving to stand in front of her.

She looked up into the smirk she remembered.

"And what _you _have in mind, isn't going to get us anywhere" She reprimanded.

He sighed heavily but didn't move; instead he leaned closer towards her, leaning his arms on the desk on either side of her.

She didn't falter, didn't back away, instead she took the initiative yet again and leaned into him and another bruising kiss.

They finally broke apart when they heard somebody clearing their voice in the doorway.

"Unless that's a scene in your play, and if it is we may have to censor it, get back to work"

Rory and Tristan laughed as Sonia Orchard walked away to check on the next group.

"This is a scene from our play right?" Rory asked playfully.

Tristan smirked.

"If it's not then it should be".

* * *

"I'll meet you in the cafeteria" Rory told Louise as she passed her in the hallway, making her way to the locker. 

"Ok! Don't be long!"

Rory stuck her head inside her locker, feeling like screaming, she was tired and irritable and despite her pleasant morning with Tristan, wasn't in the mood to see out the rest of the day, but she had to.

The hallway emptied quickly, and she wasn't surprised to someone come to a stop behind her.

"Huntzberger" She greeted him without turning.

"Gilmore" He replied.

Still with her back to him she asked him what he wanted.

"I just want to clear the air" He replied and she laughed, slowly turning around.

He looked different, she hadn't noticed on Friday night, but he did. He'd always been quite well built but he looked thin now, his face almost sallow, mind you she thought, he probably wouldn't have been dining on caviar in juvie.

"Logan, I accept that you're out of jail. And I accept that you've come back to school. Now I just want you to respect my wishes and leave me alone so I can finish out my year in peace."

It was ironic she thought, the entire student body cramming into the hallway that morning expecting a show, when the real spectacle would always happen when nobody was around to see it.

He grinned at her but it soon faded when he noticed how tired she looked.

"Ace,"

Her eyes flashed at his use of the pet name he'd made up for her.

"I'm sorry I was a dick the other night. I know I fucked up, I know you all hate me, but I want to make it right"

Rory nodded coolly, unemotionally.

"You realise that's never gonna happen, right?"

Quickly she turned on her heel and started to walk away when he grabbed her arm. She wheeled around in his grip.

"Fucking let me go" She whispered menacingly.

He smirked at her and back her towards the wall. She glared at him fiercely.

"Come on Rory, you used to be good in situations like this"

"If I still had my knife I'd cut it off" She whispered.

Ah yes, he remembered, the switchblade Renny had given her.

"Didn't you bury it with him?"

"No," She replied, "I used it to torture the voodoo doll I had made of you"

"Aww that's sweet Ace, still got that quick wit I see"

She smiled sarcastically and pushed him away from her.

"Logan, I don't have the energy for this bullshit, just leave me alone. You want to make things right? Then just leave us all alone"

* * *

**AN: I was really pleased with the reviews I got for the last Chapter, it restored my faith that despite the disjointed and deliberately vague way I've been writing this, you guys are following it. Thankyou.**


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